• Premier League

Cazorla tells Arsenal: Win trophies or I'm off

Santi Cazorla has admitted he will look to leave Arsenal unless the club start winning trophies.

The midfielder recently extended his contract at the Emirates Stadium by a further 12 months until 2017.

However in an interview with Sport 360, Cazorla has hinted he may return to his native Spain if the club cannot compete for major honours.

"I want titles and that is why I came to Arsenal," Cazorla, 29, told Sport 360. "Every football player wants to win titles. We've gone many years without winning one. And if not, what I'll look for in my next destination is to have the chance to win.

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Arsene Wenger has had many head-scratching moments this season © Getty Images

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"I don't want to close doors. When I'm turning 31 I'll evaluate myself and I'll choose the best option. In which case, I would be delighted to come back [to Spain]."

The FA Cup presents Arsenal with a realistic chance of ending a trophy drought that stretches back to 2005, with a semi-final against Championship side Wigan - the holders - this weekend and a potential final against either League Two outfit Sheffield United or Hull.

However Arsenal's title chances were all but extinguished after they fell 10 points behind leaders Liverpool with defeat at Everton - who are now just a point behind Arsene Wenger's side with a game in hand in the race for fourth spot.

Cazorla attributed Arsenal's aborted title push to what he perceives to be a lack of a "winning mentality".

"We haven't got a winning mentality and we have to believe in ourselves," he stated. "Sometimes you can get used to not fighting, but we can't do that. Arsenal is and will always be a historic football club and we have to look forward.

"We've been unlucky in several games. We had a lot of chances to win against Manchester United and there was [Mesut] Ozil's penalty [against Bayern]. We couldn't recover after going out against Bayern in the Champions League and the defeat against Stoke finished us. You can't lose against Stoke if you aspire to be the next champion."

The uncertainty over the future of manager Arsene Wenger may halt long-term planning for Arsenal officials for now, but Cazorla suggested Arsenal need to spend big this summer if they are to compete for the Premier League, pointing to the example of Manchester City.

"Arsenal has everything to win," said Cazorla, who revealed he has spoke to his Spanish team-mate Iker Casillas about the possibility of moving from Real Madrid to Arsenal this summer.

"History, infrastructure, an incredible stadium and great players, but we have to improve at crucial moments and sign the best football players because if you don't do that, you may lag behind others.

"That is what makes it different at other clubs. You've a good example in Manchester City who signed Fernandiho, [Alvaro] Negredo... or even Manchester United with [Robin] Van Persie and [Juan] Mata.

"Arsenal know what they need next season, but it's almost impossible to win a title if we haven't got these kind of things."

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