Pablo Mari is finally an Arsenal player and will be expected to slot straight into Mikel Arteta's plans for the rest of this season.
The Spaniard arrives in north London initially on loan - with a £4million fee - but the Gunners do have the option to make the move permanent in the summer.
Mari won't solely be just another body for Arteta but a useful tool in his system. The 26-year-old is now Arsenal's only left-footed centre-back which can benefit them both with and without possession. A good passer of the ball, he will bring more balance when they try and build from the back but being naturally left-footed could also bring more stability when teams try to attack down the Gunners' left.
football.london takes a look at the centre-backs Mari will be joining and which one could partner him best (Calum Chambers' injury means he won't be included).
David Luiz
Since Arteta's arrival David Luiz has emerged as a key part of the side. Much-improved in defence, the Brazilian was quickly becoming one of Arsenal's better players at the turn of the year.
Alongside his defensive contributions, Arteta looked to unlock his superb passing ability once more. To do this, he instructed Granit Xhaka to drop to the left of Luiz to create more space for the Brazlian to run into and dictate play.
Mari joining may cause a slight tweak to that setup, however, as Luiz has been playing as a left-sided centre-back. Left-footed, Mari would most likely take that position, forcing Luiz to the right side of the defence. This could work well for Arteta, however, as he would have two centre-backs who are comfortable with the ball both playing on their preferred sides.
In Luiz's absence, Xhaka has continued to drop in to the left of the left-sided centre-back so that would continue with Mari. If anything, it opens the possibility for Arsenal to become as potent down the right wing as they have become down the left as Luiz will be able to start moves there while Mari does the same on the left.
Therefore looking at how Arteta has already been shaping his defence, this may be the fit he deems best for this season.
Sokratis
When looking at Arsenal's current defenders, Sokratis is the most robust in his approach. At times he has been nothing short of clumsy but at others, his no nonsense attitude has been just what the Gunners have needed.
Under Arteta, the Greek has shone even more as a result. With Luiz tasked to build play, Sokratis is more reserved and focused on defending first. Here, he has stepped up, making the backline much more organised and steady and if Arteta wants to keep the yin and yang type of partnership then he would be the man to step up.
It's still clear than Sokratis is not great on the ball, however, which is what could hold him back. Luiz is superior in this area and has become more proactive when defending.
Shkodran Mustafi
When he has been called upon under Arteta, he has been solid for the majority of his time spent on the pitch. His errors in the home and away fixtures against Chelsea are moments that seem too likely to happen, however.
The German fits the Luiz mould more than Sokratis but when all centre-backs have been available, he hasn't been favoured by the Arsenal head coach which suggests these mistakes take a toll.
Suffering an ankle sprain, Mustafi faces another uphill battle to get into the starting XI at Arsenal but he could look to the early parts of the season for inspiration. Hardly putting a foot wrong until the 5-5 Carabao Cup draw with Liverpool - when he scored an own goal - Mustafi could build momentum to try and break into the team alongside Mari.
Rob Holding
In Rob Holding's case, he just doesn't seem ready yet. Even though he suffered his ACL injury in December 2018, the 24-year-old still needs to get consistent games under his belt to return to his best form.
Replacing Mustafi at Bournemouth most of his work was defensive, where he looked better but his work in possession still needs work. Against Leeds United at the start of month the timing of his passes was off and he was caught out on a few occasions.
With the Europa League and FA Cup resuming next month, the centre-back will have a chance to prove himself once more, however. Should do well in these competitions he look to the business end of the season to try and partner Mari in the main starting XI. Right now would be too early.
