Pablo Mari Expected to Undergo Arsenal Medical After Flying to London With Technical Director Edu

​Flamengo centre-back Pablo Mari has been tipped to undergo a medical with Arsenal on Saturday, after being pictured at São Paulo's Galeão airport with the Premier League club's technical director, Edu Gaspar.

Arsenal have had a handful of players on their January transfer wishlist as they desperately look to add some steel to their defence - something made even more important after Calum Chambers' long-term injury.

But the Gunners now appear to have stumbled across their man, with Flamengo's Mari being seen ready to board a flight to London from São Paulo alongside the former Arsenal midfielder.

UOL explain that Flamengo have already given the transfer the all-clear, with the Brazilian giants expected to recoup well over twice what they paid for Mari (£1.5m) just six months ago.

Mari, a former Manchester City player, has spent less than half a year in Brazil but it's reported that he's already had his head turned by the prospect of returning to England.

The 26-year-old's family also want to return to Europe, which has helped push the transfer over the line from Arsenal's point of view.

Some plucky and borderline nocturnal Arsenal fans - the picture only broke on social media in the early hours of Saturday morning - have already been scouring the internet to find out exactly what flight Mari will be on ahead of his move to the club.

They haven't disappointed either, finding out that the plane that left São Paulo's Galeão airport should arrive in London at roughly midday.

It's unknown at this stage exactly how Mari's move to Arsenal will be structured, but it would appear that the club aren't just settling for one new centre-back in January.

The Gunners are exploring the possibility of a loan deal for Shakhtar Donetsk defender Mykola Matviyenko, with Arsenal wanting to avoid paying a £30m transfer fee outright this month.

The 23-year-old only has 18 months left on his contract in Ukraine and manager Mikel Arteta has seen Matviyenko up close already, after facing Shakhtar in the Champions League while he was assistant manager at Manchester City.

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