Pablo Mari is now on the verge of leaving Premier League giants Arsenal on a permanent transfer with Fabrizio Romano reporting that Monza are set to keep the centre-half in Serie A.
Any lingering hope Mari may have had of kick-starting his Gunners career went up in smoke once Mikel Arteta got his mitts on Poland international Jakub Kiwior.
The former Spezia ace, like Mari, is a left-sided centre-half. One Arsenal paid £20 million for during the January transfer window.
If Mari was to return, he’d find himself further down the pecking order than when he left in the first place; Gabriel Magalhaes and the aforementioned Kiwior now competing for a starting spot under Arteta.
Pablo Mari has played his final game for Arsenal
29-year-old Mari has not made a single Premier League appearance since being ragdolled by Romelu Lukaku during a 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea at the start of 2021/22.
That will be the former Manchester City defender’s 14th and final top-flight outing in Arsenal colours too. Monza close to completing a £6 million deal following Mari’s impressive loan spell in Italy.
“Arsenal are set to receive a £6 million fee for Pablo Mari,” Romano writes on Twitter. “His transfer to Serie A side Monza will be made permanent. Personal terms are already agreed.
“It is done and sealed.”
Arsenal paid around £14 million to sign Mari back in 2020 after a trophy-laden stint at Flamengo. The defender has been almost an ever-present for an ambitious Monza outfit in recent months. That is despite him undergoing surgery in October following a stabbing incident in a Milan supermarket.
Shining in Serie A
“Mari put in an amazing performance,” Monza coach Raffaele Palladini beamed following a nail-biting 1-0 win away at Inter Milan; a top-half finish now on the cards for a club who had never played Serie A football until this season.
“It’s a fairytale. It’s an incredible group, great guys who give everything every day. When it’s like that, you get these results.”
Mari was tipped to move south of the border to Celtic by one former Arsenal favourite last year.
“I feel (Celtic) needs another left-sided central defender,” said Charlie Nicholas. “Especially if they want to make a real impression in the group stages of Europe’s top club competition.
“I know Ange has Carl Starfelt and brought in Moritz Jenz for Lorient, who can play there. But I would prefer a natural left-sided player, somebody who is comfortable on the ball and good at playing out.
“I would like to see him go for a quality and experienced central defender, even if it is only on loan.”
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