Mikel Arteta has made some outstanding signings as Arsenal manager, but even in his playing days his eye for talent was clear to see.

Arteta joined Arsenal in 2011, replacing Cesc Fabregas in midfield under Arsene Wenger, and initially arriving as a more advanced option.

The signing of Santi Cazorla and the departure of Alex Song meant that Arteta reinvented himself as a defensive midfielder, with Cazorla’s arrival from Malaga a welcome one.

Cazorla was a Spain International and a notable player in La Liga, but there was no guarantee that he would be a hit at the Emirates. The Spaniard impressed the Arsenal squad from his first training session, and went on to become a club icon.

Arteta knew that Cazorla would be a success at Arsenal before he even arrived, and his prediction about his compatriot turned out to be spot on.

Mikel Arteta’s prediction about Santi Cazorla before Arsenal move

Speculation was rife in July 2012 as Cazorla was continually linked with Arsenal, and Arteta was asked about the interest in him whilst he was still at Malaga.

“I cannot talk about the actual situation but I can say that I know him as a player really well. “And he’s a top, top player. He has got unbelievable quality and talent and that is all I can say,” Arteta told Sky Sports.

Wenger was also certain of Cazorla’s quality at Malaga, and praised the midfielder who would join Arsenal a few weeks later.

“I share the opinion of Mikel Arteta. Cazorla is a great player,” Wenger stated.

How Malaga demise allowed Arsenal to sign Santi Cazorla

Cazorla joined for around £15m, which proved to be a bargain fee, but he may have never ended up at Arsenal were it not for a disaster at Malaga.

Malaga were a side competing at the top end of La Liga and in the Champions League in 2012, but overspending on players including Nacho Monreal would then lead to their downfall.

Cazorla actually had a release clause of around £40m, and Malaga initially resisted interest for anything below that fee. However, they faced the threat of relegation unless they could quickly raise funds to clear their debts, and they had to lower their asking price.

This allowed Arsenal to sign Cazorla for a more affordable fee, and he would go on to be one of the best signings Wenger made in his last few years at the club.

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