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Arsenal's Santi Cazorla out for the season after ankle injury recovery takes longer than expected
Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla is not expected to play against this season as he recovers from ankle surgery.
The 32-year-old has not featured since being forced off during the second half of Arsenal's 6-0 Champions League group win against Ludogorets on October 19.
Following an operation on the plantaris tendon in the Spain international's right foot, the Premier League club expected his rehabilitation to take around three months.
However, reports suggest Cazorla is not set to recovery in time to be involved again this season.
Cazorla had a second, smaller operation on his ankle in January and Arsene Wenger admitted his recovery was going a lot slower than expected.
“At the moment, Santi is far [from returning],” said Wenger. “It’s not going as quickly as I imagined it, so certainly in January he will not come back. I just have a schedule that he is not planned at the moment to go outside and run. I think once a player goes outside and runs without any problems, you come six weeks.
"At the moment he has not been out so that’s why I say in January he will certainly not play. He was the dominating player in our squad at the start of the season and we suddenly lost him.”
Gunners boss Wenger had spoken of the importance of Cazorla - who is expected to be handed a contract extension - to the squad following the news of his injury.
"The dressing room needs a balance between experience and youth-team players and you need to be guided as well by some experienced players as well when you go through difficult times," Wenger said.
"They help you always to keep your feet on the ground and keep focused."