Cazorla has been sidelined since October 2016 after suffering an Achilles problem which then forced him to undergo a staggering 10 operations.

At one point, an amputation of his foot was even considered.

The Spaniard’s contract at Arsenal expires this summer but manager Arsene Wenger previously admitted he hoped to be able to offer Cazorla a new deal but had no idea whether he would be able to play again.

“He is an exceptional football player and it is very sad what happened to him, and very sad for Arsenal as well,” Wenger said.