For the last two years Arsenal have been searching for someone who can fill the void left by Santi Cazorla. In Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Arsene Wenger hopes he may have found his man.

Since a 1-1 draw at Norwich on November 29, 2015 Cazorla has been plagued with Achilles injuries. Barring a 10-game streak early last season, where Arsenal won eight and drew two, the diminutive Spaniard has been missing and missed.

His absence has been agony for Cazorla, who has undergone 10 separate operations on his troublesome right ankle, and indeed for Arsenal, who have been unable to replicate the balance in midfield they enjoyed when the 33-year-old was paired with Francis Coquelin.

In Saturday’s 5-1 win over Everton, Mkhitaryan, making his first start since joining as part Of the deal that sent Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United, laid on three assists, the most since Cazorla provided all four goals for his team-mates in a victory over Wigan in May 2013.

Wenger has spoken of his desire to try Mkhitaryan, naturally a number 10 or wide forward, in a “box-to-box” role and he even hopes his new signing could even be the successor for Cazorla.

“There’s similarities yes,” Wenger said. “I wish [he could take over Santi’s role]. “

“Santi was an exceptional football player, technically to find Santi…

“[Mkhitaryan] for sure has the technical level to play in our team.”

There might be cause for concern in Wenger discussing Cazorla in the past tense, not least because the player has already conceded he does not expect to play again this season.

Despite that Wenger has said he is open to extending the playmaker’s contract, which expires at the end of the season, and on Friday named Cazorla in his squad for the Europa League knockout stages.

In Pictures | Arsenal vs Everton | 03/02/2018 31 show all In Pictures | Arsenal vs Everton | 03/02/2018 1/31 Getty Images 2/31 Getty Images 3/31 Getty Images 4/31 Getty Images 5/31 Getty Images 6/31 Getty Images 7/31 Getty Images 8/31 Getty Images 9/31 Getty Images 10/31 Getty Images 11/31 Getty Images 12/31 Getty Images 13/31 Getty Images 14/31 Getty Images 15/31 Getty Images 16/31 Getty Images 17/31 Getty Images 18/31 Getty Images 19/31 Getty Images 20/31 Getty Images 21/31 Getty Images 22/31 Getty Images 23/31 Getty Images 24/31 Getty Images 25/31 Getty Images 26/31 Getty Images 27/31 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 28/31 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 29/31 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 30/31 Getty Images 31/31 Getty Images 1/31 Getty Images 2/31 Getty Images 3/31 Getty Images 4/31 Getty Images 5/31 Getty Images 6/31 Getty Images 7/31 Getty Images 8/31 Getty Images 9/31 Getty Images 10/31 Getty Images 11/31 Getty Images 12/31 Getty Images 13/31 Getty Images 14/31 Getty Images 15/31 Getty Images 16/31 Getty Images 17/31 Getty Images 18/31 Getty Images 19/31 Getty Images 20/31 Getty Images 21/31 Getty Images 22/31 Getty Images 23/31 Getty Images 24/31 Getty Images 25/31 Getty Images 26/31 Getty Images 27/31 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 28/31 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 29/31 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 30/31 Getty Images 31/31 Getty Images

It is not expected to be more than a token gesture but Wenger hopes it can motivate Cazorla to make a remarkable comeback.

“Has he played his last game for Arsenal? He has not played for over a year. I hope not.

“He’s on the Uefa list. I don’t know how far he is since his last operation – I just put him there because we had room.

“I hope and I want to give him strength to fight, to come back.”

​Cazorla may face a fight to revive his career but Wenger was eager to point out the struggles Mkhitaryan had gone through to establish himself in the game.

“I met him before he came here, I always liked his game,” Wenger said. "He’s a player completely focused on football, dedicated totally to the game.

“He comes from a country, Armenia, where you need special character to become a great football player. You have to really love it. That’s why he looks happy to play football, he loves it.”

That love was as apparent in his man-of-the-match display at the Emirates as it had been missing in the final months of his spell at Old Trafford. Cazorla was another who invariably played with a smile on his face and if Wenger has found the man to replace the Spaniard in the Arsenal engine room he’ll soon be beaming too.