Arsenal set to seal £10m permanent transfer of Pablo Mari from Flamengo despite just TWO appearances while on loan
ARSENAL look set to turn Pablo Mari's loan move from Flamengo into a £10million permanent deal - despite the fact he's made just TWO appearances since his January arrival.
The Spanish defender, 26, has featured just once in the Premier League, in the 1-0 win over West Ham, despite the Gunners' defensive troubles.
Mari also played in Arsenal's 2-0 FA Cup win over Portsmouth - and faced Liverpool during December's Club World Cup while still with Flamengo.
In spite of his lack of action, Mikel Arteta clearly sees potential in Mari to be part of his future back-four, with youngster William Saliba to return in the summer.
David Ornstein revealed Arsenal chiefs are keen on making a move on the .
Ornstein said: "I understand it’s very likely they’ll make the loan deal for Pablo Mari into a permanent deal for around £10m."
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Despite still only being 26-years-old, Mari is something of a journeyman of the game.
He started his career as part of Mallorca's youth set-up before moving to Gimnastic and then Manchester City.
After failing to play a single game at the Etihad, he moved on to Girona, NAC Breda and Deportivo, before settling at Flamengo.
Mari's solid form in Brazil - and subsequently at the Club World Cup - saw Arsenal come knocking.
After spending much of his career on the move, Mari recently revealed he hopes to stay at Arsenal for the long haul.
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He claimed: “I’ve been at five clubs over the last four years. This is a footballer’s life. If you want to play football and you want to improve then every year you need to move.
“Maybe when you find a club that is good for you, then you can stay and improve with that club.
“I have found myself here at Arsenal. It is a really good option for me.
“I want to stay here and improve as a player and a person. I want to be here for many more years.”