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Arsenal are on the brink of completing their first signing of the window after agreeing a £4.2m loan deal for Flamengo star Pablo Mari.
Centre back’s are falling by the week for Mikel Arteta with Skhodran Mustafi expected to be the latest long-term absentee after his injury suffered in the win over Bournemouth on Monday night.
Mari has been strongly linked with a move to the Gunners this summer – with a £7.5million deal with Flamengo for him agreed and then reneged this month.
After further negotiation, the clubs have reached a new agreement and Arteta is set to bring the former Manchester City defender to the Emirates Stadium.
Shkodran Mustafi could be out for some time
South American football expert Tim Vickery has informed Gunners fans what they can expect from Mari.
Speaking to TalkSport, Vickery said: “I’ve been droning on about him to anyone who will listen for the past few months, because I think Manchester City missed a beat with this one.
“For me, in that Flamengo side that coasted its way to the Brazilian championship, won the South American title and gave Liverpool a game in the Club World Cup final, I think he was the most important player.
“He’s by no way the most glamorous, but that front four with all the goals being scored by Gabriel Barbosa and Bruno Henrique, it wouldn’t have worked had the team not been able to defend with a high line – and Pablo Mari was the man behind all of that, he was superb.”
“Now, this is the chance of a lifetime for him at Arsenal.
Arsenal to complete deal for Mari, 26, this week
Vickery added: “Obviously one person at City maybe agrees with me that they missed a beat, and that’s Mikel Arteta!
“With all the centre-back problems they’ve had this season, they could have had him [in the team].
“Arteta knows the player, knows what he’s getting and I think it could be a good bit of business for Arsenal.
“I don’t think he’s going to be the sensation that he has been in Brazil but I think he can do a competent role there.
“A left-footed centre-back is great as well for passing out from the back, it just opens out the pitch so much more.”
