Pablo Mari return means Arsenal should take brutal stance with 28-year-old

Add as preferred source on Google

Pablo Mari made his first Arsenal appearance of the campaign during last Thursday’s 4-1 win over Rapid Vienna in the Europa League and in the process showcased why the Gunners should offload Shkodran Mustafi.

The Brazilian defender has been nursing an ankle injury for quite some time and is yet to make a Premier League for Arsenal during the 2020/21 campaign.

Mari scored in the game against Rapid Vienna and once he rediscovers his fitness he looks like becoming a decent player for Mikel Arteta.

He arrived from Flamengo last January and an injury in the first game back after project restart saw him miss the remainder of the season.

The 27-year-old was a £14 million capture from the Brazilian top-flight outfit and Arsenal will hope he regains his fitness soon.

Mustafi has found himself down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium and the club is facing a big decision.

The £90,000-a-week enforcer hasn’t started a league game so far this season and his contract will expire during the summer.

For far too long Arsenal have prioritised sentiment and the stockpiling of ordinary players over logical thinking.

That has to change and with Mustafi they must make a statement to their supporters.

Statement of intent

Handing an extension to a player who has barely featured this season would send out a message – and not a positive one.

In Mari, Arsenal have a player who is slightly younger and who has proved in the early stages of his Emirates Stadium career that he can be a hit in England.

Mustafi has 148 appearances to his name but the time has come for Arteta to cut him loose.

Gabriel and Rob Holding could join Mari in featuring for Arsenal in years to come and as a result, Mustafi must be deemed surplus.