According to ESPN, Arsenal have reportedly failed in their attempts to sign Brazilian defender Pablo Mari from Flamengo and the player has already returned to his homeland. Meanwhile, Sky Sports are reporting the Gunners ‘remain in talks’ with Flamengo, but the deal ‘hangs in the balance’.
ESPN – Arsenal’s misery
The ESPN report from earlier today suggests that the deal has fallen through for the 26-year-old and despite him arriving for talks earlier in the week, he has already returned back to his homeland.
The report goes on to state that Mari has already completed a medical in North London but has since returned to Brazil as his club, Flamengo, are “opposed to the terms of the deal”.
Mari has been an instrumental part of a Flamengo team that had success both domestically and on the continent – winning their league and their famous Copa Libertadores.
Mari has been a part of the team since summer 2019 having spent the three years beforehand on the books at Arsenal’s Premier League rivals, Manchester City.
The report goes on to finish up by mentioning that the Gunners are also likely to miss out on PSG defender Layvin Kurzawa, as the Parisian club are set to use him in an attempted swap deal for Juventus full-back Mattie De Sciglio.
Sky Sports – still hope for the Arsenal?
While they concur with ESPN in the fact that Mari has now returned to Brazil, Sky Sports also state the North Londoners “remain in talks” with Flamengo as they attempt to thrash out a deal.
Mari will now start his pre-season training camp with current side Flamengo in the assumption that he will be staying put in South America, but Arsenal haven’t given up the ghost just yet.
The Gunners are reportedly looking to make a deal for Mari that would see him join on loan from Flamengo. Arsenal will have the option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season if he impresses in his six month loan spell.
What’s the hold up, Arsenal?
This deal shouldn’t really have been a tough one to get over the line given the finances involved aren’t exactly a large sum of money for a club like Arsenal.
They were reportedly set to pay a fee of £7.5m at the end of the season and due to the fact that Mikel Arteta’s team are in serious need of central defenders, they should be doing all they can to get the deal done before the window closes – even if it means stumping up that cash now, or changing the option to an obligation.
David Luiz proved he’s nothing more than a liability against Chelsea last week, while Schkodran Mustafi did the exact same thing in the SAME PASSAGE OF PLAY.
Add to that the fact that Calum Chambers is out with a long-term injury and Rob Holding has made just two appearances all season, the Arsenal defence in serious need of some reinforcements.
If Arsenal have scouted this lad and they think he is the man to come in and sort this back four out, then they need to give Flamengo whatever they want to get the deal done. If not, then it’s time to turn their attention to the next target, and offer that player’s team whatever they want.
The transfer window shuts in three days time, and time is running out for Arsenal. If they want to get themselves back up that league table and save this season, reinforcements are needed – pronto.
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