Mertesacker eyes silverware

Per Mertesacker: Arsenal defender confident of success this season

Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker is confident that he and his team-mates will achieve success this season.

The Gunners endured yet another trophyless campaign last term, as they finished third in the Premier League.

The future of star striker and club captain Robin van Persie is still uncertain, as manager Arsene Wenger has signed Lukas Podolski, Santiago Cazorla and Olivier Giroud this summer.

Mertesacker is delighted with the arrival of these star name players and believes that they have a better squad this season than they had in 2011/12.

"I think we have a better situation than last year," he said on Arsenal's official website. "The team is full of characters, good players and every position [has competition].

"So I am looking forward to the season because I think we can show the potential we have in a better way than last year.

"We needed good signings and I feel that these players will help us a lot. Giroud is a good striker and I have seen a lot of him in training because he was not out in Asia, so we trained a lot together. He made a good effort and hopefully in the games he will show that as well.

"Santi Cazorla has just signed so we will see him in training and in games in the short term."

Arsenal will begin their Premier League campaign with a home game against Sunderland on Saturday August 18.