Pablo Mari

Gunner89

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11917325/pablo-mari-flamengo-centre-back-set-for-arsenal-medical

QuincyAbeyie

Oh, didn't know it was a loan with an option to buy. That's brilliant then.

Ray

Brazilian league season doesn't start until May anyway, so don't know why their fans are upset, most likely he will be back there by then.

QuincyAbeyie

Obviously the ones who are upset think he's good enough that he won't be back.

Sicario

This is a done deal

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert

Possibly the most exciting signing ever.

Rohit

Even he lacks natural ability, I will be very happy if he has the requisite leadership qualities that we lack in my opinion. We could do with a personality at the back.

speedy

Luiz has captained Brazil, Chelsea and PSG. Not consistently but had the arm band quite a bit in his career.

Sabila, Mari, Holding, luiz, Papastathopoulos, Mustafi, Chambers

Thats a lot of CB's for 2 slots. Hopefully Arteta can do a bit of a clear out in the summer. On reflection though Sok is 32 at the start of next season, Luiz is 33 in a few months. Mustafi is retired already.

Klaus

We do need to tidy up the squad a bit, but I think the pieces are starting to fit together. I think Mustafi will be gone, and Chambers won't be of any use in 2020 if his recovery is anything like Holding's. Sokratis only has a year left and seems to have lost the senior defender battle to Luiz, so we might be looking to move him too.

Holding, Luiz, Mari and Saliba could be a decent bunch to have around next season. And then Luiz will leave as a 34 year old when his contract expires in 2021, which should have given Chambers enough time to recover.

Shady

EDUUUUUU.

(Is this Pablo Mari guy any good?)

Gazza M

Pictured at heathrow with edu

Mustafi is gone, and i imagined sokratis has said he'd seriously consider leaving at the end of this season too.

Clrnc

Loan with an option to buy would be brilliant. Nothing to lose at all and with David Luiz the Brazilian connection at the back will be helpful

lorddulaarsenal

Mari Saliba partnership could be interesting

Ricky1985

He looks a fundamentally decent player: okay speed with those long strides, not an oil tanker on the turn, strong in the challenge and in the air, decent left foot and seems okay with the ball at his feet. Nothing to write home about but okay on limited viewing.

We'll have to see what his concentration is like over 90 minutes, how intelligent he is in his positioning and awareness, what he's like under proper pressure etc., but he looks like he has some decent attributes to work with.

Sicario

Well at least unlike Pepe he is not coming in with massive expectations. Hopefully the opposite will happen with this signing (although I think Pepe will come good eventually).

It will be interesting to listen to Arteta’s next press conference as to why he went for Mari and what he likes about him as a player.

Sicario

Apparently he joins us permanently:

Clrnc

He will probably be very cheap. Anyone but Mustafi will do. Push Sokratis down the pecking order too

Clrnc

Ricky1985 wrote:

He looks a fundamentally decent player: okay speed with those long strides, not an oil tanker on the turn, strong in the challenge and in the air, decent left foot and seems okay with the ball at his feet. Nothing to write home about but okay on limited viewing.

We'll have to see what his concentration is like over 90 minutes, how intelligent he is in his positioning and awareness, what he's like under proper pressure etc., but he looks like he has some decent attributes to work with.

He reminds me a lot of Gabriel Paulista.

Ray

Clrnc wrote:
Loan with an option to buy would be brilliant. Nothing to lose at all and with David Luiz the Brazilian connection at the back will be helpful

He’s Spanish, and if anything will be taking Luiz’s spot as both play LCB.

Klaus

Sicario wrote:
Apparently he joins us permanently:

Interesting that so many still report a loan. It sounds like maybe we've done a loan with a mandatory buy clause, probably to put the cost on next year's books.