Arsenal have finalised a deal for Flamengo defender Pablo Mari.
The Gunners have agreed to pay a fee to take the 26-year-old centre-back on loan for the remainder of the season, with the option to buy in the summer.
Flamengo confirmed Mari was leaving on their Twitter page on Wednesday afternoon, although Arsenal have yet to make an official announcement.
The Brazilian club tweeted: “The time has come to say goodbye to this defender who arrived at Flamengo to make his mark in our history with the titles of Conmebol Libertadores and the Brazilian Championship. Pablo Marí, thanks for everything.”
Mikel Arteta has been desperate to bring in a central defender this month, with a number of players on the sidelines due to injury.
Mari spent three years at Manchester City, where Arteta was assistant to Pep Guardiola before taking the Arsenal job, but never played a first team game for the club before moving to Flamengo last summer.
South American football expert Tim Vickery joined talkSPORT on Monday to shed some light on the player and his upcoming move.
Vickery describes Mari as an unglamorous centre-back, who has great organisation and positioning and has the bonus of being left-footed.
He also claims Manchester City made a huge error by selling him, and Arteta is wise to want to bring him back to the Premier League with Arsenal.
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Speaking on talkSPORT’s Trans Euro Express, Vickery said: “I’ve been droning on about him to anyone who will listen for the past few months, because I think Manchester City missed a beat with this one.
“He was unknown, he came in very cold and was thrown in at the deep end, but he sorted it out for them absolutely magnificently.
“For me, in that Flamingo side that coasted its way to the Brazilian championship, won the South American title and gave Liverpool a game in the Club World Cup final, I think he was the most important player.
“He’s by no way the most glamorous, but that front four with all the goals being scored by Gabriel Barbosa and Bruno Henrique, it wouldn’t have worked had the team not been able to defend with a high line – and Pablo Mari was the man behind all of that, he was superb.
“Now, this is the chance of a lifetime for him at Arsenal.”
Mari may not be the only defender to join Arsenal before Friday’s 11pm deadline.
Arsenal are also eyeing a deal for Southampton full-back Cedric Soares.
The Gunners are reported to be prepared to pay £5million to land the 28-year-old, who is out of contract at St Mary’s in the summer.
