Arsenal ready to use 28-year-old defender as potential makeweight in move for Serie A star - Reports

The Gunners have set their sights on a new defender

Arsenal are reportedly (Mirror) looking to use Pablo Mari as a potential makeweight in a bid to sign Udinese star Nahuel Molina.

Mari joined the Serie A outfit in January on loan and wants to continue there following a successful spell thus far.

He's enjoyed regular gametime with the Zebras, starting in 15 top-flight games while also scoring twice as the 28-year-old has established himself firmly in Gabriele Cioffi's side.

Udinese are keen to bring him back to the Stadio Friuli for another season and Arsenal want Molina in return.

According to Ole, the 24-year-old's performances have "put him in the window" for the summer and the Gunners are willing to negotiate a deal for him.

🚨 Arsenal want to arrange a swap deal involving Pablo Mari 🇪🇸 and Udinese's Nahuel Molina 🇦🇷. Arsenal will happily let Mari go on a permanent deal if they can have Molina in return, but the 24yo is currently valued at around £25M. #AFC #Udinese

(via @cmdotcom)

Mirror reports that Udinese value Molina at £24.5 million and their counterparts in north London are ready to make a 'player-plus-cash' offer, with Mari going the other way.

He still has two more years left on his contract with Arsenal but has fallen behind in Mikel Arteta's pecking order and has communicated to the Spaniard his 'desire to continue' in Udine.

Last month, Mari hinted that he wished to remain with the Italian side beyond his loan spell. He told Gazzetta dello Sport:

"When I arrived in January, I had a clear and precise idea. I told the coach and Gino Pozzo that I was coming to play. But I realized that I had to earn the job day after day, training after training. Cioffi was the first who welcomed me, well, here.

He added:

"It's the right championship for me. Very tactical. I try to bring the attacker towards me and here it can be done and then there is battle and I like the battle on the pitch in Italy. I am very well in Udinese."

Molina, on the other hand, could be a good signing for the Gunners, with the Argentine shining at the right-back spot for Udinese, even contributing 12 goals.

Arsenal's Champions League ambitions up in smoke

With a defeat to Newcastle United last night, Arsenal's hopes of a fairytale Champions League return have taken a massive hit.

4⃣ - Tottenham Hotspur (68 points)

5⃣ - Arsenal (66 points)

Arsenal's hopes of finishing in the top four suffered a major blow as they lost 2-0 to Newcastle United on Monday night. #SLInt

MORE: tinyurl.com/48yd4h3e https://t.co/sVWS2ql3Wg

The Gunners are now two points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fifth. They realistically need their derby rivals to somehow lose against the already-relegated Norwich City on the final day to have a chance of climbing back into fourth.

Arsenal themselves have a tough game against Everton, who're still fighting for survival, and another slip-up would render Tottenham's result meaningless in their own pursuit.