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ARTETA LATEST

/noticias.info/ Mikel Arteta is recovering well following stomach surgery.

The Spaniard managed just one substitute appearance in the last five games of the season as a niggling abdominal injury caught up with him.

Before that though, he had consistently played through the pain for the Everton cause.

But the decision to operate was taken and Arteta should be back for pre-season training.

Head physio Mick Rathbone told evertonTV: "Mikel had surgery in Barcelona, a minor procedure on his stomach, he's had the problem for four or five months.

"I've been over to see him and he's doing okay. I'm going to see him next week and it's so far so good with him."

Rathbone revealed that Arteta had been keen to play every possible game for the Toffees, meaning he couldn't rest the injury.

"It was a problem that isn't so unusual, but to be fair to Mikel, he played and played and played with it," explained the physio."He probably did himself no favours in his desire to give all for the team."

And from a medical point of view, Rathbone explained that players were never put in danger when playing with injuries.

He said: "On one level, medically speaking, we don't want players to worsen their injuries. I think we are very careful like that. But it's a professional sport and Everton are striving to go places and it's good that the players understand that and are prepared to put their bodies on the line.

"I do stress that we won't allow them to endanger themselves, or play with injuries that are dangerous to them.

"I think if you want to be successful, and there's a little bit of discomfort going around, I think generally speaking, a sqaud that can pull together and get through it are going to be more successful and we have those kind of boys here." notas_de_prensa_archivo