Spaniard feels bad over the manner of his departure from the his previous club.
Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has revealed that he is sorry that he never said a proper goodbye to Malaga fans before his departure in 2012, reports the London Evening Standard.
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“I know that in Malaga lots of people haven’t forgiven me for the way I left,” Cazorla told the free newspaper. “When I signed for Arsenal, everything happened so quick, I had to go to London.
“I couldn’t go to Malaga to hold a press conference to say goodbye to everyone face to face.
“In the end, I could only write a letter in which I expressed my gratitude and my affection for the club. I know a lot of people didn’t like that. I’d like to apologise for not being able to say goodbye properly,” Cazorla said.
The 30-year-old was only with Malaga for one season – having signed from Villarreal for around £17.5m in 2011, but he played in every league game and helped the club qualify for the Champions League, before his departure for London for a fee believed to be around £16m.
Cazorla insists that it was not originally his choice to leave the club.
“I left because the club needed money. Arsenal was a good opportunity, but Malaga wasn’t stable and it wasn’t clear where they were headed,” he added.
Despite being one of Arsenal’s best players this season, Cazorla is heavily linked to a summer return to Spain, with Atletico Madrid seeming the most likely destination.