New recruit Santi Cazorla keen to kick-start Arsenal's Premier League title push
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Your support makes all the difference.Santi Cazorla has outlined his desire to end Arsenal's trophy drought after becoming the latest high-profile recruit at the Emirates Stadium.
Cazorla joined the Gunners on a long-term contract from the financially stricken Spanish club Malaga for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £16m.
An attacking midfielder also adept at playing on either wing, the 27-year-old Spanish international is an impressive addition to a squad already strengthened by the summer arrival of the strikers Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud.
Seven years have passed since Arsenal lifted any silverware, but Cazorla believes fortunes will change following the flurry of transfer activity in north London.
"There's a very good squad here and we want to fight for titles and win titles," he said yesterday. "The club has made a big step to sign players to have a better team and meet the expectations of the fans. I'm very happy to be here, Arsenal are a huge club. I hope to win trophies, that is what I want."
Cazorla, right, has amassed 45 caps for Spain and was a member of the squads that won the European Championship in 2008 and this year.
Cazorla was also an influential figure in Malaga's fourth-place finish in La Liga last season, when the club qualified for the Champions League for the first time.
Arsenal, who have been over-reliant on Robin van Persie for their goals, will hope Cazorla eases the scoring burden on their forwards after he struck nine times in the league last term.
He consulted former Arsenal players Robert Pires and Cesc Fabregas over the transfer and was encouraged by what he heard.
"Robert played with me at Villarreal. He knew about the rumours of me coming here and always encouraged me to sign," he said. "He told me it was a very good club and I was going to enjoy London, the city and the move.
"It was the same with Cesc Fabregas. He said this was a big club and that I was going to be very happy here, he said I would adapt easily. And I can feel that."
Cazorla, the 2007 Spanish Player of the Year, joined Malaga in 2011 following two stints with Villarreal.
"Santi has good experience at both club and international level and is a great signing for us," said Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager. "He has good pace, is technically gifted and will be a huge asset to us."
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