Martinelli believes Arsenal man is staying put

Gabriel Martinelli has hinted that Pablo Mari will remain at Arsenal this season while declaring his love for the defender.

Mari was one of their first signings under Mikel Arteta, but the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White pushed him down the pecking order at the club.

The Gunners have added William Saliba to their squad after he returned from his loan spell in France, and he is expected to become one of their key men in this campaign.

This means Mari is even further down the pecking order, and he should leave.

He spent the second half of last season on loan at Udinese, and he did well, which should earn him a transfer, but he remains on the books of the Gunners for now.

Martinelli was speaking about the defender and hinted on Ringer FC’s Wrighty’s House podcast: “I think Pablo Mari is back with the team, and I love him.”

Just Arsenal Opinion

Mari is a good defender, and he proved that while on loan at Udinese last season.

The Spaniard could be an ideal backup to our current option, but he is our fifth choice centre-back, and he will hardly get to start matches.

Tags Gabriel Martinelli Pablo Mari

6 Comments

  1. We actually need 5 CB’s with EL games, world cup and injuries. But Mari is clearly not rated and seems more suited to less pressure in the slower Serie A in a team likely to struggle to make top 10. Only cost 8m so not a big loss even if we lose him for 2mill.

  2. We are going into all competitions in the 22/23 Campaign thereby playing at least twice a week. Instead of hunting for wingers, the right footed Rob holding would conveniently back up Saka/ Tommy ,on the Right and Mari
    back up for Martinelli/Zinchenko/ Tierney on the Left in case of an injury. You will be surprised to see them perform.
    Avoid reloading AFC like before. Retain
    Multi -purpose players now to avoid
    an unnecessary bunch of players when we can rotate what we have. It is purely my opinion.

  3. Problem is, we know from last season that Arteta won’t use an unfavoured player in rotation even if the first teamer is desperate for a rest.

  4. I really wouldn’t mind having Mari and Reiss Nelson (as per The Atletic this morning) in the team this season.
    Mari, a natural left footed CB would deputize nicely for Gabriel particularly in the less demanding EL and domestic cup games
    Nelson is the only natural right-footed winger in the team and should offer a good option to Saka and Pepe (if he’s still around). He’d also improve the home grown complement of the team
    So, yes, keeping the duo should make good footballing sense

  5. Without wishing to be disrespectful, Martinelli’s friendship with Mari has no doubt influenced his views on his compatriate, but from my perspective the defender is clearly not of the quality required to be a success in the EPL.We are very well covered at CB.In addition to White, Holding, Gabriel and Saliba, Tomi is very comfortable in that position where he plays for Japan, and I am hearing good things concerning young Reulle Walters who seems to have the credentials to compete at CB and RB. In essence ,time for Mari to be sold.

  6. CB is the only role in a side where you play with more than one of them, sometimes as many as 3.

    (To be clear, that’s ignoring the inverted FB and winger roles, they tend to be left footer on the left, right footer on the right)

    So having a lot of backup at CB isn’t a surprise if you hope/expect to go deep into 4 competitions.

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