Milan and Lazio have earmarked Pablo Mari in case they could not get their top defensive targets. The center-back fared well while on loan from Arsenal to Udinese in the last six months. The Friuliani do not have a set option to buy him out, although they are attempting to keep him.
According to Corriere dello Sport, the Rossoneri could pursue the Spaniard if they gave up their chase of Sven Botman and leaned on Pierre Kalulu as a starter, as they did in the final months of last season. They are unwilling to improve their €30M bid for the Dutchman, Alfredo Pedullà informs. They wish the Lille star rejected the move to Newcastle, which are offering more, allowing them to seal the deal at their terms.
Similarly to Milan, Lazio could pursue Pablo Mari down the line if they missed out on their preferred objective Alessio Romagnoli, Sky relays. The Biancocelesti need to find a new home for Francesco Acerbi before really pushing the envelope. The future free agent has other suitors too, so there are no guarantees he will join.
The Arsenal loanee tallied 15 appearances in Serie A in 2022, scoring twice. He featured 22 times in 18 months in London. He previously played also at Flamengo and Deportivo La Coruna in recent years.
Our Take on Milan and Lazio Eyeing Pablo Mari
It would be an addition with a low ceiling, as he is 28, but he proved he could hang in Italy in the recent spell; plus, he is massive physically and has good technique for the role. It remains to be seen whether Udinese will manage to retain him, though. The two sides would likely lose interest if they had to negotiate with them. Instead, Arsenal are probably eager to offload him for good.