Philippe Senderos left a glowing tribute to Arsenal this week after he completed a loan move to Everton. The Switzerland international, who was on loan at AC Milan last season, has moved to Merseyside until the end of the season after being told he was sur

Philippe Senderos left a glowing tribute to Arsenal this week after he completed a loan move to Everton

The Switzerland international, who was on loan at AC Milan last season, has moved to Merseyside until the end of the season after being told he was surplus to requirements at Emirates.

The 24-year-old defender, who arrived at Highbury in 2003, moved further down the pecking order after the arrival of Thomas Vermaelen last summer. He played just two Carling Cup games this season and said he needed to leave to fight for a place in the Swiss World Cup squad.

But despite his fall from grace, he absolved Arsenal of any blame for his current situation.

"Arsenal gave me a fair chance. But at big clubs you have a lot of players and two or three games a week and, if they come in and do well, they will take your place." he explained.

"That's what happened to me. I don't think I've been unfairly treated apart from the last few months but even then the players in the team were doing well and staying in.

"I am not bitter at leaving. Arsenal are a big club who gave me a lot and I owe a lot to them. They took me from Switzerland when I was 18 and I got to play in a Champions League final and to win the FA Cup.

"I am proud to say I was an Arsenal player but I couldn't go on not playing every week. I needed to move.