Mikel Arteta has suggested that Pablo Mari will be an important player for Arsenal in the system he wants the Gunners to play.
Mari became Arsenal's first signing of the January transfer window, after putting pen-to-paper on a loan deal from Flamengo until the end of the season earlier this week.
Mari helped the Brazilian side win the Serie A title and the Copa Libertadores last season, as well as impressing in the Fifa Club World Cup final against Liverpool.
But the 26-year-old has now joined the Gunners on an initial loan deal until the end of this season for a fee of £4million, and is now in contention to feature against Burnley on Sunday at Turf Moor.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said he was pleased to have the former Manchester City man at the club.
"For me, he is very important, he balances what I want to do from the back line," he said.
"It gives us more options, more solutions and opens up the pitch more, and he is a player we have been following in the last few months, and we are really happy to have."
Mari is the Gunners' first signing of the Mikel Arteta era after Arsenal initially let three players leave the club on loan early in January.
His arrival has been followed up by the signing of Cedric Soares on loan from Southampton until the end of the season, with Arteta also admitting that he was a player he had followed for some time.
