Pablo Mari’s agent is in talks with Serie A trio Hellas Verona, Napoli and Fiorentina with Arsenal hoping to sell the Premier League misfit for around £14 million, as reported by Gazzetta dello Sport.
After just 14 league appearances under Mikel Arteta – the most recent coming during a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in which the centre-back looked like a wounded gazelle going up against Romelu Lukaku’s hungry lion – most Arsenal supporters would bite your hand of for a deal that would see the Gunners recoup every single penny of the fee they paid Flamengo during the summer of 2020.
Whether any of Mari’s many suitors are willing to pay the £14 million required, however, remains to be seen.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the 28-year-old’s representative is in negotiations with Hellas Verona, Napoli and Fiorentina. Given the choice, Mari would prefer to stay in Italy, having gone some way to rebuilding his reputation during an impressive loan spell at Udinese last term.
Will Pablo Mari leave Arsenal for Napoli or Fiorentina?
Should he move to Fiorentina, the one-time Manchester City youngster may be handed the unenviable task of replacing the colossal Nikola Milenkovic. Inter Milan have agreed personal terms with the Serbia international.
Napoli may be the most tempting destination however. Luciano Spalletti’s side can offer Champions League football after all. Then again, Il Partenopei appear to be prioritising a move for Brighton’s forgotten man Leo Ostigard instead. Ostigard was one of the surprise stars of the last Serie A season, shining on loan at Genoa.
But what about a return to Udinese?
“Mari is an Arsenal player,” explains the club’s director Pierpaolo Marino, speaking a couple of weeks ago. “It is uncommon for such a player to come to Udinese. Not because we don’t deserve it but because, in general, the path (players like Mari take) is the opposite.
“It will be difficult to keep him but we will try.”
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