Santi Cazorla has retired from professional football at 41, ending his playing days at Real Oviedo, the boyhood club where it all began. But the more interesting question isn't where he's been — it's where he's going next.
The answer might well be North London.
Cazorla spent six years at Arsenal, won silverware in Spain, England, and Qatar, and captained the Spanish national team in 2019. His time at the Emirates is remembered warmly — and would have been remembered even more so had injuries not ravaged the final stretch of his tenure there. He was, at his peak, one of the most technically gifted midfielders in the Premier League. Two-footed in a way that made defenders look foolish. A player who made chaos feel elegant.
The Arteta connection is real
This isn't speculation pulled from thin air. Speaking last year, Cazorla was direct about the prospect of returning to Arsenal — and notably, he left the door open to more than just a coaching role.
"If I have the possibility to come back, I will be back," he said in 2023. "I don't know which position in the club, as a coach or sports director. But of course, I would like to come back in the future."
Arteta, who shared a dressing room with Cazorla, has already gone on record about what his former teammate would bring to a coaching setup. "He had an unbelievable energy," Arteta told Sky Sports in April 2024. "Someone that you can trust with his knowledge, but his energy as well to the team. I think it's going to be valid."
That's not a manager being politely diplomatic. That's someone telling you he's already thought about it.
What a Cazorla role at Arsenal might actually look like
The coaching staff route feels like the obvious fit given Arteta's comments, but Cazorla's own words suggest he's thinking bigger — possibly a sporting director or technical advisory position. Arsenal have been building quietly and intelligently behind the scenes for years. A figure with Cazorla's standing in the game, his relationship with the fanbase, and his knowledge of elite football structures could serve a purpose beyond the training ground.
For the market watchers: Arsenal's long-term title credentials don't just rest on who Arteta picks on matchday — the depth of the football operation matters too. A Cazorla appointment, in whatever form it takes, would signal continued ambition in the background structures, not just the squad.
The playing career is over. The next conversation with Arteta is probably already scheduled.
