Al Sadd ace Santi Cazorla has again opened the door to returning to Arsenal.

The former Gunners midfielder admits he'd like to work on the staff of manager and former teammate Mikel Arteta.

Currently playing in Qatar for Xavi's Al Sadd, Cazorla enjoyed six years with Arsenal, winning two FA Cups during his time in London.

And the veteran admits Arteta was key to helping him settle when first arriving in 2012 from Villarreal.

He recalled to AS: "Mikel was very important when I came to Arsenal.

"I did not speak the language and he was the only Spanish. He helped me a lot, both he and his family. We were two football obsessives, we watched games and he already had that coaching gene."

And the thought of launching that coaching career with Arsenal - and under Arteta - is something that Cazorla admits has crossed his mind. While it's not on the immediate horizon, the 36 year-old midfielder concedes he has thought about the prospect.

He continued: "It is something that I would value tomorrow, now I do not consider it. If I am given the opportunity and he believes that I can help him, it is something that I would not mind and would leave the door open to enjoy that experience with him. But there is nothing for today, it will be seen."

Cazorla is currently on an open-ended contract with Al Sadd, where he has established himself as the leading player in the Qatari Stars League. This season, he has nine goals and produced nine assists in just 15 games. The veteran signed for Al Sadd in August 2020.

- updated January 26