Per Mertesacker: Finishing second a 'miracle', Arsenal face fight with 'not a lot of signings'

Updated 24/07/2016 at 14:33 GMT

Per Mertesacker says finishing second last season was a “miracle” for Arsenal and the expected club captain has added that the club’s inactivity in the transfer market will make things even harder in 2016-17.

Arsenal's German defender Per Mertesacker appauds supporters

Image credit: AFP

Arsenal usurped rivals Tottenham on the final day of the season to claim their highest finishing place since 2005, but their achievement was aided by the terrible seasons endured by the elite clubs, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all having disappointing league campaigns.

“The way last season went, we were quite lucky to finish,” Mertesacker told The Sun.

We turned things around at the end but it was kind of a miracle we finished runners-up.

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“What really disappointed us was that Leicester were able to take advantage of all the other big teams suffering and we couldn't do the same.”

Those same clubs have reinforced this summer but Arsenal’s transfer business has been rather more low-key.

Granit Xhaka arrived before Euro 2016 for a fee of around £35 million, but since then the club have only added promising youngsters Takuma Asano and Rob Holding.

In rather portentous quotes, Mertesacker – who is expected to be named the club’s new full-time captain after the retirement of Mikel Arteta -

“That will be a big motivation next season - to keep up with all those good teams who finished behind us,” he added. “Of course, those big clubs will be stronger this time. That's what I expect as they'll start the season with a lot of new players.

“A lot of transfer business has already been done and it won't be easy for us this time, especially with all the signings going to the other clubs.

So we also need to be stronger and I am looking forward to seeing how well we compete for the title with not a lot of signings and a lot of young players.

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