Mikel Arteta is hoping to return back to his form of old for Everton next year after undergoing successful groin injury surgery. The injury cost the Spaniard much of the end of last season's Premiership campaign.

told evertonTV: “Gradually the groin got worse and the pain was bigger. I did everything I could not to miss as many games as other players with the same injury have in the past. But, in the end, we thought the best way to resolve the problem was surgery.

“I’ve been doing rehab all summer so fingers crossed I’m going to feel much better. We’ve got a long pre-season and I plan to play at some point.”

He continued: “When you play with pain you can’t train in the week and obviously that affects your fitness levels and your confidence.

“It was tough - all the hours I had to spend on treatment and on different exercises instead of training outside.

“It does affect you because you are out of the game. You lose that sharpness and that confidence, and every time you want to kick the ball and do something special you are very limited. And it’s not an excuse. I am the just the first one to criticise myself.

“I had to get used to expecting the pain all the time. The only thing I’m asking now is not to have the pain because I know if that is the case I have a lot to offer. Hopefully this season is going to be a big one."