Santi Cazorla is continuing to impress in Villarreal's preseason.

Cazorla took another successful step on his road to recovery last night, playing half an hour of Villarreal's 1-1 draw against Montellier.

The former Arsenal midfielder now faces two friendlies back on English soil against Sheffield Wednesday and Wolves, and the Spanish club are confident they will be able to offer him a contract before the season kicks-off in Spain on August 18.

After 10 operations on his Achilles Cazorla was told he would be lucky to play football in his back garden again, much less on a competitive stage.

Arsene Wenger described it as the worst injury he had ever seen and Cazorla was even told he could have lost his foot when he picked up an infection.