
Cedric Soares
The January transfer deadline day is back again as clubs make those last minute deals required to solidify their squads ahead of the grueling second half of the football campaign. Arsenal, like other Premier League clubs, have had their fair share of transfer deadline day drama, with that famous ‘trolley dash’ of 2011 that saw Arsene Wenger sign five players after the humiliating defeat to Manchester United. We also remember the Andrei Arshavin saga that was protracted to the point the transfer window had to be extended for the deal to go through.
It was evident that defensive recruitments were required this January in the wake of the well publicized challenges faced from Calum Chambers’ long term injury and Skhodran Mustafi suffering a knock as well, which made the Gunners sign Pablo Mari on loan from Flamengo. In addition to Pablo Mari, Arsenal has confirmed the signing of Southampton’s Cedric Soares on loan till the end of the season.
Arsenal’s Technical Director, Edu, had some good words to say about the new signing,
“Cedric is a defender with good experience of the Premier League, and of course at international level. He is another strong addition to our defensive unit who will provide our squad with quality. I know he is a player who plays with absolute full commitment and energy. We are all looking forward to going into the last stages of the season with Cedric as part of the club.”
Cedric has spent the best part of five seasons with Southampton and has been an ever-present for the Saints until this season, when he struggled with injuries and form. He had a very brief stint with Inter Milan but it didn’t work out with the Italian giants featuring him just four times. Cedric is a seasoned professional that has bags of experience and an instrumental part of the Portugal squad that won the 2016 European Championship.
His transfer to Arsenal clearly changes the dynamic for Ainsley Maitland-Niles, that has been a good utility squad member, filling in for the unavailable folk on specific occasions. AMN is a central midfielder by trade and has done very well under Mikel Arteta but having a natural like Cedric gives balance to the team.
His transfer is also regarded as a shrewd piece of business as he arrives to the club on loan and will be available as a free agent this summer. His loan spell will serve like an audition and let’s hope he does enough to secure a long term deal.
Sayonara.
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