Arsenal star Santi Cazorla has revealed how he came close to losing his foot due to infection, and was told by doctors that he would be lucky to walk again.

The 32-year-old has not made an appearance for the Gunners in over a year, struggling with persistent ankle issues. He suffered from a serious blood infection during treatment, which the Spaniard was told may have resulted in the loss of his foot.

Cazorla underwent countless surgery for all manner of different reasons, revealing he lost eight centimetres of his Achilles tendon. Despite how unfortunate the whole ordeal has been for the midfielder, things could have been a lot worse – and Cazorla is hoping to return to action very soon.

“If you manage to walk with your son again in the garden, be satisfied, they told me,” Cazorla said in an interview with Marca.

“At that time I was still playing, they told me it was okay, the problem was that it did not heal and the wounds would reopen, become infected. In pictures, I can see the tendon.

“(The latest doctor) he saw that I had a tremendous infection, that I had damaged part of the calcaneus bone and ate the Achilles tendon. I had eight centimetres missing.

“I do not have a specific plan until January, but I will come back by then.”

Cazorla last played for Arsenal in October of last year and his Gunners contract runs out at the end of the season.