William Saliba's Arsenal future has been given a huge boost when he makes his return to Mikel Arteta’s side after it was reported Pablo Mari is unhappy at the club.
Saliba joined Marseille on a season-long loan in the summer having failed to receive assurance that he would be a regular in the Gunners' starting XI.
Mari was one of the players ahead of the Frenchman in the pecking order, yet after starting both of Arsenal's first two Premier League games of the season, the Brazilian has been limited to just one further appearance as Arteta's men triumphed over AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup.
According to Flamengo YouTuber Mauro Sant'Anna, the 28-year-old has now grown tired of not being involved in first-team action and could potentially look to engineer a move back to former club Flamengo.
Gustavo Henrique joined Flamengo just weeks before Mari made his move to the Emirates Stadium on loan in January 2020, and he has recently confirmed the club's plans to bring Mari back to Brazil.
“It’s evident that Flamengo wants the player to return, however, they have to wait for the window to open,” he said of Mari's situation.
If Mari were to move away from Arsenal, it wouldn't come as much of a surprise to fans who have watched him struggle to settle in London.
The 28-year-old came under scrutiny for his part in Arsenal's poor start to the season, with Romelu Lukaku proving too hot to handle as Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea side secured a convincing 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium in August.
Since the defeat to Chelsea, Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes have cemented their place in Arteta's starting lineup, with a run of eight clean sheets in 13 games across all competitions helping to transform the Gunners' season.
While the departure of Mari would perhaps leave Arsenal looking a little vulnerable were they to suffer a defensive injury crisis, the news will be welcomed by Arsenal fans as it offers Saliba one less stumbling block to overcome when he returns from his loan spell in Ligue 1.
The young defender has been excellent during his time in France, with his man of the match performance against Paris Saint-Germain as he stifled the threat of Kylian Mbappe epitomizing his time at the club.
Saliba's height and athletic prowess mean he's the perfect build for a defender looking to make waves in the English game, and with a senior callup to the France side potentially on the cards, Arsenal need to assure him that he has a future at the club.
The youngster has proved in his time away from Arsenal that he's ready to make a name for himself at the Emirates Stadium, and Mari's exit could offer him a route into the side.
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