In an exclusive interview with Tribalfootball, emerging star Samuel Chukwueze has revealed how Villarreal veteran Santi Cazorla has impacted his burgeoning career.
The 34-year-old returned to Spain last summer after a horror run of injuries ended his six year stay at Arsenal.
Those same problems have stayed away this season and Cazorla's terrific form for the Yellow Submarine recently culminated in a call-up to the Spain national team for this weekend's Euro qualifiers, 1,299 days after his last cap.
Playing with a player of Cazorla's stature has been invaluable says Chukwueze, who has recently been linked with Liverpool and Manchester City.
Asked if he followed Cazorla when he was with the Gunners, Chukwueze said: "Yes I did. I watched him when he was playing for Arsenal. Playing with Santi Carzola is very good for me. Carzola is a very good person.
"He gives me advice every time and encourages me on the pitch. He tells me 'Samu, you need to keep working hard, you are very talented and you can do more'.
"He tells me so many things about my game and he gives me so much courage that any time I am holding the ball, I should keep on moving, I should not fear. He is a very good person and I really appreciate him a lot."
20-year-old Chukwueze has enjoyed a fantastic breakout season and is widely considered one of the brightest talents in world football.
A failed move to Arsenal in 2016 has not dampened Chukwueze's ambitions to eventually play in the Premier League, as he told Tribalfootball last month.
And the Nigerian revealed that he has spoken with Cazorla, former Everton defender Ruben Funes Mori and ex-Leicester midfielder Vicente Iborra.
He added: "Cazorla and Funes have been good to me. They told me so many things about England premiership.
"They speak English so it easy for them to communicate with me very well and they gave me a lot of information about football in England, that the game in England is very exciting.
"They also told me about the cold. Iborra too said the same things about football in England Premiership."
