 Complete the following phrase:  For the following season, Arsenal gradually progressed upon their league form, eventually becoming runners-up in 2016. Mesut Özil in particular had 19 assists in this season, one short of breaking the Premier League record held by former Arsenal player Thierry Henry. Özil had 16 assists in the first half of the season but dropped off after December, only managing 3 more. In order to capture that ever-elusive Premier League title for the first time in 12 years, the club spent heavily in the transfer market in the summer of 2016, spending over 80 million on four first-team acquisitions, namely capturing Shkodran Mustafi and Granit Xhaka, who operate as a central defender and central midfielder, respectively. Both positions were long deemed problem positions in the team, with the hope Arsenal could push on and win the league after signing the pair. However, poor league form saw Arsenal competing heavily for the final UEFA Champions League space, having taken a race with Liverpool and Manchester City to the final day of the season. Despite winning 31 against Everton, results elsewhere meant they only finished fifth, missing out on a Champions League spot for the first time in two decades, and the first ever under Wenger. However, Arsenal won the 