Indeed, dreams come true.
Last month, we featured Pablo Mari’s interview with Sid Lowe in the Guardian. The defender chronicled his football journey from Spain to the Netherlands, England to Brazil and finally, back to England with Arsenal.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM-nSLLtGnM” width=”800″ height=”500″ mute=”yes”]
Now, Arsenal has signed Pablo Mari on a permanent deal after using the option to buy. This signing has been despite the player making only 3 appearances including sustaining an injury which ends his season.
Is this a risky purchase?
I cannot say definitively.
On the one hand, Pablo Mari hasn’t put a foot wrong in his three appearances for Arsenal. On the other hand, are three appearances enough to pay £14m (from what we hear) for a player who’s injured and out for the rest of the season?
Maybe he’s seen as a replacement for David Luiz or Mustafi, maybe? We have Saliba coming in and we surely need to move a body or two at the back.
Currently, we’ve got Sokratis, Mustafi, Holding, Chambers, Luiz, Mavropanos, Saliba and now, Mari. Someone has to leave surely. Mustafi has been playing well under Arteta and I seem to like the no-nonsense mantra Rob Holding has adopted.
I would consider using Chambers as a defensive midfielder if we can’t get Partey, at least as a stop-gap. I was all for keeping David Luiz and maybe, as a backroom staff because of the grit and winning mentality he brings. But, as a player, he plays like Xhaka under Unai Emery: very good on a good day and, very bad on a bad day.
Back to the Pablo Mari purchase Arsenal just made.
I think the defender has something to prove. Considering that he’s been moved around much like a player no one ever really wanted, he’d be motivated to prove a point. Especially to Manchester City.
Now, Manchester City must have seen something in him enough to purchase him. Like Sancho is doing now at Dortmund, I hope Manchester City regret selling him.
