Arsenal news: With Arsene Wenger set to extend Santi Cazorla’s contract, is it time for the Gunners to look to life without him?
Spanish ace has struggled with injuries and with Granit Xhaka starting to thrive and Jack Wilshere still to return, perhaps the Emirates side should consider losing their little magician
ARSENE WENGER has confirmed in his recent press conference that Arsenal will look to extend Santi Cazorla’s contract by one year and keep the Spaniard at the Gunners until 2018.
But is that simply a move that is allowing the heart to overrule the head?
The little magician has been a revelation since joining the Gunners in 2012, with his scintillating footwork and class on the ball wooing fans at the Emirates, however I believe it’s time for Arsenal to look beyond the struggling 32-year-old for the greater good of the team.
Keep up to date with ALL the Arsenal news, gossip, transfers and goals on our club page plus fixtures, results and live match commentary.
After ex-Malaga man Cazorla suffered a re-occurrence of his Achilles tendon problem in October, the Gunners struggled for fluency and were unable to assert any level of control on games until the recent blowouts against West Ham and Basel.
This may suggest that Arsenal need the little man more than ever – however perhaps it tells us the opposite, as the north-London outfit now need to look at building a midfield structure which isn’t entirely dependent on the little Spaniard.
The recent signs are good; with Granit Xhaka beginning to get a run in the team in tandem with either Francis Coquelin, Mohamed Elneny or Aaron Ramsey, he is proving that his influence in midfield goes far beyond pretty passes and robust tackles.
The Swiss midfielder has averaged four interceptions and over 90 per cent pass accuracy in his last three starts with three different partners, demonstrating both the flexibility and stability needed at the base of Arsenal’s midfield.
Longer term, Arsenal also have the resurgent Jack Wilshere waiting in the wings as a like-for-like replacement for the Spaniard.
RELATED STORIES
The Englishman has completed six 90 minutes in a row for the first time in five seasons and is beginning to show the type of form that led Xavi to describe him as 'the future of English football'.
If Wilshere continues on his upward trajectory, the Arsenal manager needs to make sure that when he returns at the end of his season long loan, there’s a gap in Arsenal’s midfield for him to slot in to, or he may risk losing one of his finest protegees.
Cazorla has warmed the hearts of millions of Arsenal fans with his fluid style of play and cheeky smile, however it’s time for Wenger to be ruthless and start building a midfield for the future.