Watch: How Santi Cazorla helped Nacho Monreal sign for Arsenal

Today marks Nacho Monreal’s sixth anniversary as an Arsenal player.

On deadline day of the January 2011 transfer window, Arsenal paid around £10million to sign Monreal from Malaga.

Many Arsenal fans were relatively unfamiliar with the left-back at the time, and the Spaniard was expected to replace Andre Santos as Keiran Gibbs’ understudy.

But Monreal has gone on to firmly establish himself as the the Gunners’ first-choice left-back and has helped end the club’s trophy drought with back-to-back FA Cup victories.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Monreal has now revealed how Santi Cazorla played a special role in his transfer from Malaga.

Monreal had played alongside Cazorla for both Malaga and Spain, with the midfielder joining Arsenal only six months earlier.

Cazorla is already a huge fan favourite in north London, but Arsenal supporters will now be even more grateful for the little maestro.