Mikel Arteta says his move to Arsenal has surpassed expectations.

The midfielder moved last January from Everton.

"It has gone probably better than I expected. When you come to a club like Arsenal, you expect to find it very tough," Arteta told the London Evening Standard.

"I didn't know how much I was going to play but to get in the team and play the amount of games I have in the last two years in unbelievable. The way I have got on with the players, the staff and the fans has been great.

"My family are happy here so I think I made the right choice coming [to the club] and that is not disrespectful to Everton. I felt it was my time to leave after what I did there and go on to a different challenge."