Arsenal favourite Santi Cazorla recalled to Spain squad for the first time in four years following horror Achilles injury

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Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has been recalled to the Spain squad for the first time in four years.

The Villarreal midfielder has not featured for the national side since 2015 but has been included in Luis Enrique's squad ahead of upcoming matches against the Faroe Islands and Sweden.

Cazorla suffered a horrific Achilles injury in 2017 that required as many as 10 operations to fix.

Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has been recalled by Spain for first time in four years

His Achilles tendon required 8cm of tissue to be replaced after it had been eaten by infection.

Doctors were concerned that he would lose his foot but he has since made a full recovery and has been in inspired form for the Yellow Submarine this season.

He joined Villarreal on a free transfer from the Gunners and has made 37 appearances in all competitions this season, helping them avoid relegation.

Cazorla won the Euros in 2008 and 2012 with La Roja, but missed Spain's World Cup triumph in 2010 due to injury.

He now has the chance to add to the 77 caps he has earned during a distinguished international career. 

Doctors had to take skin from his arm and place it on his leg after several ankle operations

The injury to his achilles tendon marred the last two seasons of his career at the Emirates

Former Manchester City winger Jesus Navas is another surprise inclusion by Luis Enrique ahead of their pair of Euro 2020 qualifiers next month.

Cazorla's injury hell started in 2013 when he cracked a bone in his ankle during a friendly for Spain against Equatorial Guinea.

He was told to rest by Arsenal but the injury deteriorated instead of improving. It emerged that a bacterial infection was eating away at his achilles tendon ankle bone.

A skin graft from his left arm - half of a tattoo of his five-year-old daughter India's name - now covers his right ankle.

The injury nightmare started when he cracked a bone in his ankle in a friendly for Spain in 2013

Cazorla was part of the Spanish squads that were victorious at Euro 2008 and Euro 2012