Mikel Arteta has made his first Arsenal signing with the ‘superb’ defender now at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has made the first signing of his reign with the Gunners, snapping up defender Pablo Mari on loan from Brazilian outfit Flamengo.
According to Sky Sports News, the deal for the Spanish centre-back features a £4million loan fee up front, plus the option to make the move permanent for £8million in the summer.
Mari has been brought in to bolster the Gunners’ backline, which has been beset by injuries and inconsistency this season.
Mari joined Flamengo last year from Manchester City – where Arteta was assistant coach – having been on their books since 2016 but whose only senior action came from loan stints at Girona, NAC Breda and Deportivo La Coruna.
The 26-year-old made 30 appearances for the Brazilian club, scoring three goals and registering an assist (Transfermarkt) en route to the Brazilian Serie A title, the Copa Libertadores, and the Club World Cup final.
South American football expert Tim Vickery has spoken very highly about Mari, in conversation with talkSPORT earlier this week, describing him as “the most important player” in the team and “superb”.
Following the move, a number of Flamengo fans took to social media to have their say – here is some of the reaction:
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