Santi Cazorla advises Arsenal teammate Jack Wilshere to join La Liga club

Arsenal playmaker Santi Cazorla has urged Jack Wilshere to join a Spanish club should he ever consider leaving the Emirates Stadium.

Wilshere has endured another injury-ravaged campaign having undergone two bouts of ankle surgery following a tackle by Manchester United's Paddy McNair last November.

Upon the England international's return, Wilshere struggled to reclaim his place in the Arsenal midfield, starting just two of the club's final six games of the campaign. The 23-year-old made just a 14-minute cameo in the FA Cup final win over Aston Villa.

Not a single English player currently applies their trade in La Liga, with only 19 having moved to Spain to further their careers. Just one British one, Gareth Bale, operates in the Spanish top flight.

And Cazorla says Wilshere's game would suit playing for a Spanish club should he one day decide to leave Arsenal.

"He is definitely someone who could play in Spain," Cazorla told The Guardian.

"He's very talented and a great player. We're lucky to have him at Arsenal but if ever he decided to move forward in his career, definitely he has the level and the capability to be able to play in a Spanish team.

"It's strange that we don't see more English players going to the Spanish league. We've seen Beckham and Owen, for example, but besides that we don't see as many as we would like to."

Since Harry Lowe joined Real Sociedad in 1934, the regularity of English players moving to Spain has been few and far between with Charlie I'Anson, Jermaine Pennant and David Beckham among the most recent examples.

Meanwhile, Cazorla has no plans to return to his homeland anytime soon despite having stated an intention to play for Real Oviedo – where he spent a period as a youngster.

"For the time being, Arsenal is my home," he said. "I'm not thinking about the future. I live day by day and right now Arsenal is my way. It's my life."