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Santi Cazorla could miss the rest of the season after suffering a devastating injury setback.

Arsenal midfielder Cazorla was hoping to be back this month after undergoing knee surgery but his recovery has been delayed because of an Achilles problem.

Cazorla has stopped training, which is a massive blow for the title-chasing Gunners as the Spain international is a hugely influential player.

It now looks likely he will miss all of the the London club’s run-in.

That comes on top of Jack Wilshere taking longer than expected to return to first team action after a pre-season leg fracture, while another midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be out for up to eight weeks with a knee injury.

(Image: Getty)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: “Santi is not doing too well. He has some Achilles problems that hold him (back). His knee is doing well but his Achilles has inflamed a little bit and we have to put him off impact.

“It is a reaction to him coming back. We have to see now how he responds. He had always a little tendonitis on his Achilles and we have to see how he responds to that.”

Read more:

Wilshere has not kicked a ball in anger this season and, like Cazorla and Oxlade-Chamberlain, faces a race to be fit to play for England in the European Championship this summer.

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Wenger added: “Jack is doing quite well but has still not been outside yet. Running, I think, starts again this week.

"It will be three to four weeks (from there). I can understand you worry for the England team. I worry as well. I’m a supporter of England.

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“Alex will be out for six for eight weeks. No surgery. We feared surgery at some stage before we saw the MRI.

"In the end we got, on that front, positive news. The next eight weeks means March and April.

"He should be okay for the Euros [which kick off on June 10].”