In our last transfer round-up, we mentioned that Pablo Mari was attracting covetous looks from Serie A side Sampdoria.
Since then, various reports have suggested a move to Italy is on the cards but it’s Udinese who are now the favourites to take the Spaniard on loan.
The centre-back hasn’t had a very happy time of things at Arsenal since signing on loan from Flamengo two years ago. While he managed to squeeze in a couple of appearances before the UK was plunged into lockdown, Pablo got injured in the first game back three months later and spent six months on the sidelines.
While his move was made permanent in that time, by the time he was fit, the club had also extended David Luiz’s contract for another season and recruited Gabriel. That, coupled with Rob Holding’s form meant game time was again limited in 2020/21.
Despite Luiz moving on last summer, the retention of Holding and the signing of Ben White from Brighton underlined that the 28-year-old is not in Mikel Arteta’s plans. He’s only made three appearances this season, two of those in the opening week, to take his total tally for the senior squad to 22.
It’s a frustrating state of affairs for him so a move away from the club certainly makes sense.
Sky’s Italian transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio claims, Udinese will cover part of Pablo’s salary but won’t have an option to buy.
Arsenal are also expected to conclude loan deals for Sead Kolasinac, linked heavily with Marseille, Folarin Balogun, on the verge of joining Middlesbrough, while question marks hang over the future of Eddie Nketiah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Calum Chambers, Cedric Soares and Mo Elneny.
The signing of such a mediocre player and journeyman just because he is left-footed is the sort of thing that must stop happening at Arsenal. Good luck to him wherever he goes, anyway.
He was actually a decent player for the first 10-or so games
He was never good enough for us. Good pro, but like Cedric it seems that Mari was brought in due to the ability of his agent over their footballing ability.
For example, how on earth is Mari on DOUBLE Rob Holding’s wage at £85k p/w??? Gabriel is “only” on £50k p/w .
For the record, Cedric is on £75k p/w.
‘Dirty Don’ days aye?
Cedric’s 4 year deal on 75k, after making just 3 appearances on loan must go down in club infamy. An absolutely insane ‘deal’.
He actually had a good run at some point with Holding, but since it has been a disaster. Hope the return of Saliba will spell the end of his stay with us.
I’d call it a transitional signing, but as such it is quite expensive indeed. Thanks again Kia!
Don’t we need two left footed CBs for the rest of the season? I’m assuming we won’t replace him in January.
Gabriel can’t play every match, and I’m not convinced by playing Holding with White.
If Arsenal get rid of all the players that we all want to we will gone we will have no B team left!
If we’re out of all the cups we won’t need a B team!
I think thats an ideal but tbh if Saliba is returning he should be getting an auto nod for 3rd choice (before he can claim a 1st choice spot) and if that means playing him on the left then so be it.
There are multiple right footed CB’s who play on the left of a pairing across Europe. As said its not ideal but it is possible for those on a higher level and regardless, Saliba will need game time if we’re convince him to stay.
You’re right about plenty of CB pairings both being right footers, but it’s about the quality of the player and the team’s style of play. I think Saliba can probably handle the role on either side. Holding had a really hard time there against Championship opposition, and if we find ourselves in that situation again I’d rather see Mari there, or – genuinely! – Tomiyasu, with Holding beside him and White on the right. I do wonder whether Holding would have had a stronger game in the FA Cup with the more communicative Ramsdale behind him. It was a real… Read more »
I just don’t see Saliba returning. I think he’ll want a move to Ligue 1 permanently and Arteta will sanction it, like he has AMN.
KT can cover there if needed, so I don’t think it’s too much of a concern. Especially considering that we’ll only really be focusing on the league, even if we do make it to the league cup final.
Fine with this. Sign Vlahovic/Isak and Wijnaldum in January and lets push for that top four spot! Summer, bring Saliba back and spend again on another quality midfielder and backup right back as priority.
Wijnaldum has started the last few for PSG in the league so I can’t see that transfer happening.
I think he can do a job but, at 31, is Wijnaldum the type of player we want to bring in?
He’ll be on high wages & seems a bit short sighted as we’ll have Partey & Elneny back in a few weeks time. Also completely goes against what looks to be a new transfer policy of young players with potential & sell on value.
When we signed him and I stated on here that I have serious doubts that a player in his mid twenties, who hasn’t impressed at any of his European clubs, not even in second division, and who was valued at about 1.5 Mio by Transfermarkt at that point will be any sort of solution for our cb problems, and was accused of not giving him a chance at least. Well, he had his chance now and we‘re trying to get rid, even though we don‘t have a lot of cover in that position. Good deal that was! Thanks Raul!
Thank god for your amazing foresight! Please go and apply for a job at Arsenal. We clearly need your skills.
Ah, so you are one of the guys that said he‘ll be the next Campbell and we‘ve unearthed a gem at that time I guess? Good to see you’re over it and not bitter or something.
Think Edu and Arteta shoudl share the blame:
Arsenal technical director Edu raved about the defender and outlined why he was signed.
“Pablo is an experienced player who will provide us with additional defensive quality,” Edu told Arsenal’s official website.
“We have been monitoring Pablo’s career for a while and we are very pleased to have reached agreement with Flamengo for him to join us initially until the end of our season.
“Together with Mikel and his coaching team, we are all looking forward to seeing Pablo in an Arsenal shirt.”
What was he supposed to say? “We have been monitoring him and we don’t think he is very good, but he’s the best we can get now, and he might work out.”
erm… he is the manager and wanted Mari(knew him when he was at Man City). He also gave the go ahead to make him permanent
No, Raul Sanllehi signed him.
Arteta was only the head coach when the Mari and Cedric deals were done.
We need 4 CB’s in the squad so I still expect we’ll keep him until the summer when Saliba returns.
We’re overpaying on his salary but at a transfer fee of 6.8 million he was probably worth the punt.
Had just won the Serie A and Libertadores double with a Flamengo team who won plaudits for their high line defence.
I’m sure he had more good games for us than bad, he played 90 minutes in both the league wins over Chelsea last season.
Like I say, I’ll be very surprised if we see Saliba for Arsenal again.
Doesn’t seem worth it without an obligation to buy at the end of it. I think Holding’s perfectly adequate cover for White, but given how important distribution/ball carrying from our CBs is, I think we’d be foolish to let our only left-footed back up leave.
At a push KT could play LCB and Nuno outside
We don’t want loan total sellout