Arsenal have reportedly set a price tag of €15 million on defender Pablo Mari, who is a transfer target for Lazio and AC Milan this summer.
According to Italian outlet Citta Celeste, Arsenal are demanding a transfer fee of €15 million for forgotten defender Pablo Mari, who is being pursued by Serie A giants Lazio and AC Milan.
Pablo Mari joined Arsenal in January 2020 from Brazilian club Flamengo on an initial loan deal. The Spaniard made a decent impression in his first few months at the north London club, prompting them to sign him permanently in the subsequent summer. However, with Arsenal also signing Gabriel Magalhaes, Mari featured just 16 times during the 2020/21 campaign.
Following the signing of Ben White last summer, Mari’s game-time took a further hit, and Mikel Arteta sanctioned a loan exit in January, with the defender joining Udinese. The 28-year-old played 15 times for the Italian outfit in the second half of the 2021/22 season and scored two goals.
There had been speculations of Arsenal trying to use Mari in a swap deal to sign Nahuel Molina from Udinese. But things have gone quiet on that front of late. And the Spanish defender is now poised to return to the Emirates ahead of the pre-season.
However, Arteta does not consider him a part of his plans and is keen on cashing in on the 28-year-old, with Arsenal slapping a €15 million price tag on the defender. Mari’s performances in Serie A over the past six months have helped him attract interest from Italian champions AC Milan as well as Lazio.
Milan are set to lose captain Alessio Romagnoli this summer, with the defender’s contract expiring at the end of the month. They have been hot on the trail of Sven Botman, but a deal is proving complicated to close amid interest from Newcastle United. As a result, Stefano Pioli’s side are now drawing up different strategies, with Pablo Mari emerging as a possible Plan B for Milan.
Lazio, too, are keen on adding Mari to their ranks this summer as manager Marcelo Bielsa looks to strengthen his backline ahead of the upcoming campaign. As per the report, though, they are looking for a loan deal with an option to buy, which Arsenal do not wish to entertain.
As iterated earlier, the Gunners are keen on a direct sale and want €15 million in cash for Mari. So, it remains to be seen if Milan or Lazio are willing to meet those terms or look at other options.
