Reports | Arsenal and Flamengo agree to a new deal for Pablo Mari

Reports | Arsenal and Flamengo agree to a new deal for Pablo Mari

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Arsenal will complete the loan deal for Flamengo defender Pablo Mari after agreeing to a new loan fee. Initially, the Gunners agreed to pay £7.5 million in a one time payment but later complained about their lack of funds but now a new fee of £4.2 million has been finalised between the two clubs.

According to the English media outlet, the Mirror, Arsenal has officially agreed a new £4.2million contract in the January transfer window to sign Pablo Mari from Brazilian club Flamengo. Earlier this month, Arsenal and Flamengo agreed a £ 7.5million agreement for centre-back Mari. But as the Spanish defender arrived for a medical in London over the weekend, the Gunners argued they couldn't afford the fee and instead said they wanted a loan deal.

But Arsenal have now reached an agreement with Flamengo which will see the 26-year-old join on loan for the rest of the season. Arsenal will pay a £4.2 million loan fee, including an option to permanently sign the defender during the summer. After center-back Shkodran Mustafi was stretchered off during the 2-1 FA Cup win over Bournemouth on Monday night, the Gunners are thought to have made the Mari deal a priority.

The North Londoners are in dire need of defensive reinforcements with Kieran Tierney and Calum Chambers facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury. Mikel Arteta has demanded better centre backs with Sokratis Papastathopolous and David Luiz not impressing the former Manchester City assistant fully. Mari came to Mallorca through the academy before transferring to Gimnastic and then to Manchester City where he spent 3 years.

He never played for City's first team, but spent time on loan at Girona, NAC Breda and Deportivo La Coruna before transferring to Flamengo in July 2019. Athletic’s football correspondent, David Ornstein has also confirmed that Mari is on his way to the Emirates Stadium for a medical and Gunners will be aiming to sign one more player before the transfer window shuts on Friday.

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