Santi Cazorla has signed a new one-year contract with Real Oviedo to remain with the newly-promoted La Liga club.
The Athletic reported Wednesday that Oviedo were confident of prolonging the 40-year-old’s stay, after he helped his home-town team back to the top-flight of Spanish football for the first time since 2001.
Cazorla, whose previous deal expired this summer, scored in the play-off final win over Mirandes having also netted in the semi-final victory against Almeria.
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— Real Oviedo (@RealOviedo) July 12, 2025
The former Arsenal playmaker will enter his third season with Oviedo, marking his return to La Liga after leaving Villarreal five years ago. He spent seven years in Oviedo’s youth setup, but the club suffered deep financial difficulties and were unable to offer a professional contract to Cazorla, who departed in 2003 before making a first-team debut.
Cazorla was one of multiple former Oviedo players to buy shares in the club in 2012 when it faced the prospect of going out of business. He returned to the club in 2023 following a three-year spell with Qatari club Al Sadd and has since made 61 appearances, recording five goals and nine assists.
The former Spain international won two European titles with his country in 2008 and 2012, but an Achilles injury in 2016 saw Cazorla suffer a prolonged period of injury, undergoing 11 operations to treat the problem. One of the operations led to gangrene, with doctors telling Cazorla he might struggle to walk properly again, but he recovered to continue his playing career.
That particular issue came during his six-year spell at Arsenal, where he made 180 appearances and helped the north London side to FA Cup titles in 2014 and 2015. Cazorla made just 11 appearances in his final two seasons at Arsenal, missing the entirety of the 2017-18 campaign before he joined Villarreal.
Cazorla one of Spain’s most popular characters
Analysis by Dermot Corrigan
Cazorla playing another season for Oviedo will be hugely welcomed by everyone at his hometown club, while supporters at other stadiums around La Liga will also be delighted at seeing one of Spanish football’s most popular characters once again.
The playmaker is a hero in Oviedo, especially after returning to guide them back to La Liga for the first time in 24 years, and the task will now be to do what he can to establish them in the top division.
Age means Cazorla is unlikely to play many complete 90 minutes through the season, but he showed during the play-offs (a free-kick goal in the semis and a penalty in the final) that he can still have a real impact on the team in vital moments. His emotional reaction when promotion was secured also showed just how much it all meant to him — having spent most of his career away from Oviedo.
Cazorla’s experience, influence and profile will also be hugely important in the dressing room and around the club, and he is really valued by Oviedo’s Mexican owners Grupo Pachuca (which also owns Liga MX teams Pachuca and Club Leon).
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