Santi Cazorla heading for Arsenal exit as Villarreal confirm offer

Villarreal are in “advanced negotiations” to bring Santi Cazorla back to his former club for pre-season training – seemingly ruling out any chance that he will stay on at Arsenal this summer.

Cazorla, 33, has not played for Arsenal since suffering an injury in October 2016 but there had been suggestions he was nearing fitness – or that incoming manager Mikel Arteta might appoint his former team-mate as a player-coach.

But the playmaker looks likely to rejoin the Spanish club he represented between 2007-11 in an attempt to prove his fitness and earn a new contract with his Arsenal deal set to expire.

The news was confirmed by Cazorla’s former team-mate at the Yellow Submarine, Marcos Senna.

" I would love to confirm it [a permanent transfer. But at the moment what I've said is that there are advanced negotiations between Santi Cazorla and Villarreal for the player to spend pre-season with the club."