Santi Cazorla never got to say goodbye to Arsenal. The way in which his career at the Emirates Stadium ended was heartbreaking.
What was the issue? Well, after a period of injury hell and being told he may never walk again, he was forced to leave north London behind.
What happened? Cazorla cracked a bone in his ankle and suffered knee ligament damage in November 2015. He played in increasing pain until October 2016 when he was withdrawn during a match against Ludogorets.
The great Arsene Wenger admitted at the time that it wasn’t a “big injury” but remarkably, he was never seen in an Arsenal shirt again. Following surgery, a terrible infection impacted his right ankle that wasn’t fixed until a skin graft took place.
Calling himself “a jigsaw puzzle”, Cazorla has a bit of his left forearm on his right ankle, a piece of thigh in its place and the back of a leg on one heel. It’s gruesome but much to the player’s joy, it kept him playing into his 40th year at Real Oviedo.
Why Arsenal still long for a player like Santi Cazorla
While Cazorla’s stay ended in tears, he is remembered fondly by those at the Emirates as one of the greatest technicians Arsenal have ever had. They simply don’t make them like Santi anymore.
He was slender, he was slight, he was the definition of a modern number 10. Think of your Kevin De Bruynes, your David Silvas, in his prime, Cazorla was right up there.
Since he departed in 2018, the Gunners have arguably struggled to replace him. Wenger, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta did have Mesut Ozil in their ranks at one stage and while he is one of the best creators to have ever played the game, he didn’t quite have the same grace or dribbling ability as Mr Cazorla.
After Ozil’s departure in 2021, Arsenal have cycled through a host of number 10s from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Dani Ceballos, Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira.
In the modern day, it is Martin Odegaard who perhaps best resembles a prime Cazorla. Like the Spaniard, he’s creative, he’s a goalscorer, but he’s not quite as consistent as the Spaniard.
The skipper once scored 15 goals in a single season throughout 2022/23 and has fired home four times already this campaign. However, last term, Odegaard netted just once in all competitions.
As a result, the fanbase still long for a player of Cazorla’s genius. Well, perhaps that player is now beginning to appear.
Arsenal’s new Santi Cazorla is starting to emerge
Despite being the Arsenal captain, there was a sense over the summer that this season could be last chance saloon for Odegaard.
Sure, Arteta’s side won the league in 2025/26 but they did not get much help from the Norwegian along the way. Both form and fitness got in the way of a productive campaign.
Over the last few years, Arsenal fans have lusted after that Cazorla figure, they’ve needed an attacking midfielder who’s not just capable of providing but also scoring goals.
Manchester City enjoyed rich success with De Bruyne in the number 10 role because he scored so frequently. In five of his nine full seasons at the Etihad, the great Belgian registered double figures for goals.
So, if it isn’t to be Odegaard, how can Arsenal find that figure? They wanted to sign Morgan Rogers over the summer but he ultimately headed to Chelsea in a mega £117m transfer. So, that one is off the table.
How about Max Dowman? You all know who he is, you all know how talented he is, but could this be Arsenal’s modern-day Cazorla? Quite possibly.
It’s remarkable to think this kid is still only 16 years of age. He is the second-youngest player of all time in the Premier League, he is the youngest scorer in the competition’s history and he already has a winner’s medal to his name.
|
Premier League’s youngest goalscorers |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Age |
Date & Opponent |
|
Max Dowman (Arsenal) |
16 years, 73 days |
March 2026 vs Everton |
|
James Vaughan (Everton) |
16 yrs, 270 days |
Apr 2005 v Crystal Palace |
|
James Milner (Leeds) |
16 yrs, 356 days |
Dec 2002 v Sunderland |
|
Wayne Rooney (Everton) |
16 yrs, 360 days |
Oct 2002 v Arsenal |
|
Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool) |
16 yrs, 361 days |
Aug 2025 v Newcastle |
|
Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) |
17 yrs, 113 days |
Aug 2004 v Blackburn |
|
Michael Owen (Liverpool) |
17 yrs, 143 days |
May 1997 v Wimbledon |
|
Andy Turner (Tottenham) |
17 yrs, 166 days |
Sep 1992 v Everton |
|
Federico Macheda (Man Utd) |
17 yrs, 226 days |
Apr 2009 v Aston Villa |
|
Lewis Miley (Newcastle) |
17 yrs, 229 days |
Dec 2023 v Fulham |
That all happened before the teenager had even passed his GSCE’s. Well, he posed with his results over the summer and now the focus is back on football, rather than exams.
He has only played once this term but his impact was devastating, scoring two goals during a Cazorla-esque display away at Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup.
Much like the Spaniard, the youngster is a marvel with the ball at his feet. The way he dribbles resembles Cazorla, the way he manipulates the ball and gets out of tight spaces is very alike. He’s also very strong off both feet. That was something Arsenal’s former number 19 was famed for.
Already compared to Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, the sky really does feel like the limit for someone who has been blowing away his teammates behind the scenes.
Speaking last year, Declan Rice admitted: “I have had so many texts about Max recently. At 15, there is such a long way to go. You can be the best 15-year-old in the country, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to be at 18.
“So, you need to be hungry, keep working and keep pushing. I speak to Max a lot and he has got such a good family around him. He is unreal.”
A certain Bukayo Saka has also waxed lyrical about the teen. This season, the winger said: “His talent is insane. It’s up to him how far he’s going to go in football. That’s what I would say. But, yes, his talent, it’s crazy.”
The way in which Dowman has burst onto the scene is jaw-dropping. While Arteta is rightfully being cautious of overusing him, it won’t be long before he’s starting regular games for the Premier League champions.
It was on the right where he made a big impact last season but it was in the number 10 role that he tore Ipswich to shreds a matter of weeks ago. That’s where Cazorla found a home for himself and it’s where Dowman’s long-term future surely lies.
He’s got the dazzling technique of a prime Cazorla, the dribbling ability of Messi and the goalscoring ability of peak De Bruyne. He is easily the best 16-year-old in world football. No pressure, then.