Santi Cazorla has revealed that his long-awaited return to action for Arsenal has been further delayed by a fresh injury setback.

The 32-year-old, who has not kicked a ball since October 2016 due to an Achilles problem, recently targeted a comeback early in the New Year.

Having already undergone eight operations over the last year or so, including a complex procedure to take tattooed skin from his arm and graft it onto his right ankle, Cazorla will again go under the knife to rectify another issue.

"Due to some discomfort in the tendon that I had been dragging the last few days, I had to go through the operating room again," he posted on his personal Twitter account.

"It is time to delay the return date to the playing fields, I maintain the enthusiasm and motivation to return to enjoy my great passion, football."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has described Cazorla's long-term foot injury as "the worst" he has seen in more than five decades in the game.