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Santi Cazorla was urged to go on an “English adventure” by one of Arsenal’s fiercest rivals.

He spoke by phone with Manchester City midfielder David Silva in the summer and got a glowing reference about Arsenal and the Premier League from his fellow Spaniard.

The Spain team-mates are a similar height and build and Cazorla would love to emulate Silva’s achievements by helping Arsenal to silverware.

“I spoke with Silva before I came here and he said I would enjoy everything about the Premier League,” said the midfielder.

“He’s won the title with Manchester City and said I’d enjoy the football and the respect between players, which is different to Spain.

(Image: Getty)

“I’m very much at ease, so I’m glad I came. He gave me an introduction to the adventure of English ­football.”

Cazorla, an inch shorter than Silva at 5ft 6in, is also proving size does not matter in the top flight.

“Nowadays, I don’t think size is seen as that much of a problem,” said Cazorla, a £15million buy from Malaga in August. “Years ago it was when size was rated above technical ability and skill.

“But I think there’s been a change now. Messi and Iniesta show small players are good enough.”

Cazorla, 27, also thanks former Villarreal team-mate Robert Pires for helping him decide to come to north London.

The Gunners legend assured him a new era of success for the club was just around the corner.

Cazorla was talking to the Mirror at Arsenal’s Hertfordshire training HQ, with pictures of Pires as a ­backdrop.

He added: “When the interest began with Arsenal, Robert told me not to think twice, that I’d enjoy it, that it was the perfect club for me, that Arsenal has aspirations to win the title and go far.

“Everything so far has been true and I’m very happy here. I feel very at home, I am getting used to daily life in England, which is so different from Spain.

“It helps having Mikel Arteta here, he’s supported me a lot, and I’d like to thank the Arsenal players for giving me such a warm welcome.

(Image: Richard Heathcote)

“The team has done very well. I don’t think we deserved to lose against Chelsea, we deserved at least a point.

“But I think we’ve proved we’re capable of fighting teams like Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea. There’s a big future for us.”

Arsenal visit Upton Park on Saturday and Cazorla added: “The game at West Ham is ­fundamental.

“We can’t lose any more points and need to make up ground on Chelsea. I think we can have aspirations to win the title.”

Cazorla has wowed Arsenal fans with his skill and technique and is just as bubbly in the dressing room as he is on the pitch.

He reveals he loves the English stadia - even recalling playing and enjoying a pre-season friendly at Upton Park when Villarreal drew 1-1 - and has also slotted into daily life.

There is a large Arsenal enclave in Hampstead - a posh area of north London which allows the players to enjoy all the city has to offer while also living close to the training ground.

It's a long way from the cliched footballers' suburban Mock Tudor mansions of the 1990s.

It also goes a long way to showing how much the Arsenal players have bought into the club's philosophy and style, and their respect for the manager.

Cazorla says it is also similar to the spirit within the Spanish set-up.

"He (Wenger) is a father figure for all of us," he said. "He's spent so much time here that he's gained this respect. If you've been here for so long it means that your CV must be so good and you've done such good things.

"He is very close with the players, very natural and he doesn't do anything different to the normal things but he does have this passion that he wants Arsenal to keep winning and keep winning trophies.

"I chose Hampstead because it is a very good place to live for me, for my family - my child is at school there.

"You mention that famous people live in Hampstead and it's very coincidental because I went to an Italian restaurant the other night and saw Anthony Hopkins there.

"I believe that to win you have to have a dressing room where everyone is pointing in the same direction, where there are no big egos, no individuals.

(Image: Channel 5)

"Everyone in the Spanish team is equal. It doesn't matter which club you play for and that's why the team are so successful."

If that winning Spanish mentality can rub off on Arsenal, then Cazorla’s picture may one day take pride of place alongside those of Pires and the other legends.