5 of the most underrated transfers this summer

#2 Santi Cazorla (Arsenal to Villarreal)

Santi Cazorla

It has been a really tough few years for Cazorla, entirely due to a recurring Achilles problem, that has limited him to just 23 league appearances over the course of the past three seasons, and he didn’t appear once last year. It does look like he is finally returning to full fitness though, having begun training again at the end of last season. It wasn’t enough for him to earn a contract at the Emirates though, and he won’t be a part of Unai Emery’s squad.

This means he has returned to Villarreal, where he spent four years earlier in his career. Obviously, it will take a while for him to return to form, and he may never reach the levels he was at in his prime with Arsenal. But he is a very clever player, and he knows Spanish football very well, so knows what sort of thing is needed for him to succeed there. On a free transfer, it is a very shrewd piece of business by Villarreal.