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Pablo Mari joined Arsenal on loan from Brazilian club Flamengo in January, initially until the end of the season.
The Spanish defender had just broken into the first-team when his manager Mikel Arteta contracted coronavirus, setting in motion the train of events that eventually led to the league campaign being suspended.
However, whist the 26 year old’s contract with the Gunners expires in June, he is hoping that the club will exercise their option to buy him, as he wishes to remain in North London, saying “I hope the club abd I can go at the end of the season with good things to do the permanent transfer.”
At the moment there are several unknowns though. One is when, and if, the season will end, and what will be the status of players like Mari whose contract ends at the end of June. And the second is the much broader issue of football’s finances post the crisis, and what clubs will be able to afford to do.
Andy is an exiled English football fan living in Cyprus. He loves all sports but football is his abiding passion, and he still has dreams every now and then about scoring the winning goal in a Wembley Cup Final, even though his playing days are long gone. He follows most major leagues, across Europe at least, and has a favoured team in each. When he’s not watching, listening, reading or downloading podcasts about football, he spend his time worrying about his beloved Arsenal.