Mikel Arteta is set to sign his first contract as Arsenal’s boss. The 26-year-old Flamengo defender is the latest name linked with Arsenal and is one such that can make news in a short span of time.
Arsenal with a £7.5 million bid are prepared to sign Mari as their first January signing. The news comes in with only 6 days left of the January transfer window to end.
Pablo Mari can be one such signing that will strengthen the defence of Arsenal. Let us know a little more about the Spaniard.
Player Profile
Full name: Pablo Marí Villar
Date of birth: 31 August 1993 (age 26)
Place of birth: Almussafes, Spain
Playing position: Centre back
Arsenal are yet to bolster their squad with transfer deadline approaching soon. The Gunners have been linked with rumours of Jerome Boateng, Dayot Upamecano, Adrien Rabiot, Thomas Lemar, Mykola Matviyenko and John Stones joining the club but none making the news.
Mari, however, can be the one to join the North Londoners. The 26-year-old Spanish centre-back was spotted at an airport with the club’s technical director Edu ahead of a transfer that is sought to happen.
The 26-year-old started his career Real Mallorca’s youth team and later in 2011/12 made two appearances for the senior team. In 2016, Mari had joined Pep Guardiola in City squad and started working for the Premier League giants. Sadly, he did not get any start.
While he was bind to City, Mari enjoyed loan spells at Girono, NAC Breda and Deportivo La Coruna and developed more game time. It was only last summer that he joined the Brazilian outfit Flamengo.
His performance at Flamengo for last season was a successful one with the defender regustering one tackle, one interception, committed 1.3 fouls and made 2.9 clearances per game, according to Whoscored.
Mari was also the part of Flamengo team that met Liverpool in the finals of Club World Cup but eventually lost 1-0 to the Champions League heroes.
The reports suggest that Mari’s consistent performance has made Arteta see him as a potential centre-back who can strengthen the squad of Arsenal. The centre-back is only costing £7.5 million and is one heck of a bargain.
Mari if signed will become Arteta’s first signing in Gunner’s new role.
