Arsenal have confirmed that Pablo Mari has joined Serie A side Monza on loan for the 2022-23 season.
The 28-year-old is now the Gunners' fifth-choice centre-back behind William Saliba, Rob Holding, Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes and was not in the squad for Friday's 2-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Mari lost his place in Mikel Arteta's side during the first half of the 2021-22 season and subsequently headed out to Udinese on loan, where he immediately became a first-team starter.
The former Flamengo defender registered two goals from 15 Serie A matches with Le Zebrette and affirmed to La Gazzetta dello Sport that he wanted to return to Italy.
"When I arrived in January, I had a clear and precise idea. I told the coach and [owner] Gino Pozzo that I was coming to play. But I realized that I had to earn the job day after day, workout after workout. [Head coach] Cioffi was the first who welcomed me, well, here," Mari said.
© Reuters
"It's the right league for me. Very tactical. I try to bring the attacker towards me. I really like having the ball and here it can be done and then there is the battle and I like having a battle on the pitch. I would like to stay in Italy.
"Of course, I still have a two-year contract with Arsenal. I've resumed playing continuously after the operation on my left ankle where I was out for five months."
Both Monza and Hellas Verona were battling for the signature of Mari, who was also rumoured to have been in contact with Turkish Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce.
Now, the Gunners have confirmed that Monza have won the race to sign the centre-back on a season-long loan, which will become permanent if the club avoid relegation this season.
Arsenal will reportedly bank as much as €7m (£5.9m) if Mari returns to Italy on a permanent basis, with the Spaniard still under contract at the Emirates until the summer of 2024.
© Reuters
Mari has scored one goal in 22 appearances for Arsenal since joining on loan from Flamengo in January 2020, with the Gunners making his move permanent for £5.4m in the summer of that year.
The former Manchester City youngster was a part of the Gunners' FA Cup-winning squad in the 2019-20 season but was forced to miss the final due to an ankle injury.
Mari also has a Copa Libertadores and Brasileiro winners' medal from his time at Flamengo and becomes the latest fringe player to leave Arsenal in the summer window.
Lucas Torreira, Bernd Leno, Alexandre Lacazette, Matteo Guendouzi and Dinos Mavropanos have also moved onto pastures new, while Hector Bellerin, Nicolas Pepe and Alex Runarsson could all follow.
Reiss Nelson's future has also been shrouded in uncertainty, but the 22-year-old is now reported to be out of action for a couple of months due to a quadriceps injury.
Ben Knapton
