Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has publicly thanked new Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard.

Arteta admits he's delighted Gerrard returned Rangers to the top of Scottish football last season.

Arteta said: "Well it obviously was a surprise.

"First of all as a Rangers fan I must say thank you so much to Stevie [Gerrard] and the coaching staff for what they did for the club because they turned the club around in such a difficult moment and to manage to win the league in the way they did it was a big boost."

"Football is like that, people want to move, people have other expectations and now I just wish the best to Giovanni and the club and see what happens."

Arteta joined Rangers in 2002 from Barcelona and won the Scottish title and League Cup during his time in Glasgow.