Santi Cazorla’s injury is ‘worst I have known’ says Arsene Wenger as he refuses to rule out midfielder never playing again
ARSENE WENGER has called Santi Cazorla's injury "the worst" he has ever known - and refused to rule out the notion the Spaniard may never play again.
Cazorla required a skin graft from his arm, lost eight centimetres of tendon from his right foot and came close to amputation.
It was against Ludogorets in the Champions League last October that Cazorla sustained the injury.
More than a year on, the 32-year-old is yet to return to the pitch.
And speaking today, boss Wenger did little to entirely quash the prospect of Cazorla never playing again - while labelling his injury the most horrific he has seen, even worse than Aaron Ramsey's leg break.
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Wenger said: "It is the worst injury I've known. It's gone from worse to worse.
"I know how much Santi loves to play football.
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"I wish [he returns in January]. He tries to practise. I hope he comes back in January.
"I hope that you are wrong [that he might not play again]."
Cazorla has been more positive about the prospect of playing again.
He recently uploaded a video showing him doing exercises and said: "I am convinced that I am going to play football again and at my best level."
There was bad injury news for the Gunners boss ahead of Saturday's North London derby.
He confirmed that Olivier Giroud will be out due to an injury he picked up on international duty.
