Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker admits he is being forced to improve his game to perform at the levels expected in the English Premier League.

 

The giant German centre back joined the Gunners on transfer deadline day in the summer, moving from Bundesliga side Werder Bremen.

 

And for a player who had never experienced any other football than the Bundesliga, the Premier League has proven to be a shock to the system, albeit one Mertesacker is sure he can cope with.

 

"I think it’s a little bit different here [than] in the Bundesliga", the defender told Arsenal’s official website, "but you get used to everything in the world and hopefully in the next month I will improve more and more.

 

"This is the best league in the world and therefore you have to improve your game, but the important thing is to show you can deal with it", he added.

 

"It is more physical, maybe not as technical [as the Bundesliga] but the speed is much harder."

 

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