DONE DEAL: Arsenal CONFIRMED first done deal of the season as player have now agreed to join on a permanent deal – Medical ongoing
Arsenal defender has completed a permanent exit from the club after completing a switch to Serie A side Monza.
The Spanish defender joined the Italian club on a season-long loan at the start of the campaign. That deal was set to become permanent for a fee of €7 million (£5.9m) should they avoid relegation during their debut campaign in the top flight.
They managed to do just that over the weekend with a 2-0 success over Spezia guaranteeing a place in Serie A for next season. They currently sit comfortably in tenth position in the table after an impressive run of form that has seen them chalk up victories against Inter Milan and Fiorentina.
The campaign could well get even better for Monza boss Raffaele Palladino with an eighth-placed finish within reach should they continue their promising form. They will hope that Mari can help their cause further after a dramatic season.
He has made 26 appearances for Monza throughout the campaign – playing every minute of each of the last eight games in Serie A. He did miss a chunk of the season before the World Cup after being stabbed in a shocking supermarket attack that saw a person sadly lose their life, with a further six sustaining serious injuries.
Mari only missed four matches after undergoing surgery and he has been a near ever-present for Monza since. The 29-year-old bids farewell to Arsenal after making 22 appearances for the North London side.
He initially joined the Gunners on-loan from Brazilian club Flamengo, helping the side to the FA Cup in his debut campaign before his move was made permanent. Opportunities soon dried up though and he was allowed to join Udinese on loan last January before moving to Monza.
Mari is not the only departee expected from the Emirates Stadium this summer. A whole host of players could be set to bid farewell, with academy graduate Ainsley Maitland-Niles already confirming his intentions to leave the club following a loan spell with Southampton.
He said: “It’s been a great journey but it has come to an end now (at Arsenal). It’s time for a fresh start and to find a new home.
“I’m looking forward to that but, at the same time, my head’s not quite there yet and it’s all about what’s happening now with Southampton. I’m just fully focused on trying to help us stay up and stay positive on a day-to-day basis and win games.
“When the time gets closer towards the end of the season, I’ll have something else to think about. But right now, I’m just focused on football and the task at hand.”
