Mikel Arteta keen to offload first signing as Arsenal manager after barely two seasons

Posted by

Arsenal have been praised for taking decisive action this transfer market and recruiting two of Mikel Arteta’s former players at Manchester City in Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus. Yet Arteta is already planning on shipping out his first Arsenal recruit.

Spanish central defender Pablo Mari arrived on loan initially from Flamengo before signing permanently, in two operations that cost Arsenal £12.6m in total. The former Manchester City defender had been impressive in South American football but injuries curtailed his first six months at the club and since he has only made 19 appearances for the club.

Pablo Mari in action for Udinese.

Mari spent the second half of last season on loan at Udinese, where he played more regularly, scoring twice in 15 appearances. The Mirror say that Arteta and Mari have agreed to an exit this summer, although the most likely solution is a loan move to Monza at this point rather than a permanent deal.

While this is neither the most high-profile or expensive error in recent transfer history for Arsenal, it does not speak particularly well of the scouting process that Mari has not even been trusted with enough game time to really show his qualities.

 

More Stories Arsenal FC Mikel Arteta Monza Pablo Mari