Arsenal to announce its first summer transfer next week with £5.9m deal in place
The initial business of the summer transfer window by Arsenal has received extensive coverage for nearly a month, and official confirmation may be imminent.
According to reports from football.london, when Arsenal permitted central defender Pablo Mari to join newly-promoted Serie A team AC Monza on a loan deal for the entire season, there was an included requirement that, if fulfilled, would result in the permanent transfer for a fee of £5.9m.
The condition stated that AC Monza would only make the permanent transfer of Pablo Mari if they managed to avoid relegation from the top division of Italian football.
AC Monza secured their survival with six games remaining by defeating Spezia 2-0 at the end of April, coupled with favorable results from other matches that weekend.
Additionally, their relegation rivals were scheduled to play against each other, which further solidified Raffaele Palladino’s team’s position and ensured their continued presence in the top-flight.
As a consequence, Pablo Mari is now ready to say goodbye to the Emirates Stadium. The Spanish defender holds the distinction of being Mikel Arteta’s first signing, initially joining Arsenal on loan during the January 2020 transfer window before securing a permanent move from Brazilian club Flamengo the following summer.
During the 2020/21 season, Mari shared the role of left-sided center-back with Gabriel Magalhaes, even starting both Europa League semi-final matches against Villarreal. However, he faced limited playing time last season as Arsenal did not participate in European competitions. As a result, Mari spent the second half of the season on loan at Udinese, seeking more game time and opportunities.
Apart from a distressing incident in October when Pablo Mari was stabbed during an attack at a Milan supermarket, resulting in surgery to repair two muscles, his time with Monza has been successful. He has played a significant role in their efforts to avoid relegation, and the only remaining step is for both parties to officially confirm the transfer.
Arsenal has a policy of communicating developments related to players extending their contracts, joining or rejoining the club, or departing only after they have been officially confirmed. Therefore, it is not surprising that there has been little information from Arsenal’s end regarding Mari’s departure.
However, all indications suggest that the club will soon break their silence and make an announcement about this specific transfer. As the 2022/23 Serie A season concludes on Sunday, with Monza facing Atalanta away from home, they only need to match Bologna’s result to secure a top-ten finish.
Since Arsenal played their final game of the season last weekend, it is possible that the official confirmation of Pablo Mari’s transfer could be delayed until Monza concludes their season as well. Although Mari cannot be officially registered by his new club until the international transfer window opens on July 1, there is no restriction on either party making an announcement before that date.
In preparation for Mari’s permanent departure, Arsenal signed Jakub Kiwior from Spezia during the January transfer window. The Polish international showcased his versatility by starting the last five Premier League games, playing as both a left-back and a right-sided center-half alongside Gabriel.
Mari’s departure is expected to be the first of several in Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium this summer. Ainsley Maitland-Niles is set to leave on a free transfer, while Granit Xhaka is reportedly engaged in advanced discussions with Bayer Leverkusen. Additionally, several senior players such as Folarin Balogun, Nuno Tavares, Kieran Tierney, and Albert Sambi Lokonga have been attracting interest from other clubs.
Arsenal to announce its first summer transfer next week with £5.9m deal in place