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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted he had doubts about Santi Cazorla before signing him.

The Spaniard moved to north London from Malaga in the summer of 2012 for £15million and went on to win the club's 'player of the season award' just 10 months later.

He has since become an essential part of Wenger's side and a favourite among the Emirates crowd.

But Wenger, whose transfer philosophy causes him to endlessly scrutinise players before dipping into his pocket, felt signing Cazorla was a gamble at the time.

“You could question whether he was physically equipped to play in the tough Premier League,” the manager told the club's website. “It's true that I had that doubt, but his quality was so big that I was ready to take that gamble.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

“His technical quality, his right foot, left foot, his availability, his vision and the quality of his passing made me go for it.

“I thought, 'If there is a team in the Premier League where he has a chance to make it, it's with us.' That's why I went for it.”

Wenger also revealed that it was former Arsenal star Robert Pires who helped persuade him to make a move for Cazorla.

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“I think I first saw him when he was about 20 or 21,” he said. “He was not a regular player, but in some games we watched you could see he had talent.

“After that Robert Pires moved to Villarreal and played with him. Sometimes I asked Robert, ‘Are there any good players there?’

“He said to me straight away, ‘Cazorla is a fantastic player’. So Robert was a scout for me! He at least confirmed the impression I already had about Santi.”