FOOTBALL - Mikel Arteta appears to be on the mend after declaring that he will be ready to return to the Everton team sooner rather than later. Arteta has not played since damaging a cruciate knee ligament 11 months ago against Newcastle, but according to a statement Arteta made to the official Everton website he is not far off being back to full fitness. "I have been doing nearly everything in training with the lads over the last week and I am hoping to start doing contact work this coming week," said Arteta.Arteta has been put through an extensive rehabilitation programme in order to get back to full fitness, and he is now starting to step up his bid for a comeback, saying: "I am back into my fitness and I am back with the lads. I am really enjoying it at the moment."
Everton have struggled without the talented Spaniard orchestrating things in midfield, winning only six games so far in the Premier League this season.
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