Arsenal offered surprise Cedric transfer move as Mikel Arteta plots summer overhaul with right-back position an area of uncertainty with Calum Chambers and Hector Bellerin. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)
This summer is signalling a change of approach at Arsenal. Forever seeking the easy way out, the club have signed off on deals with no benefit towards the medium or long-term and, in most cases, hardly anything to the short-term either.
Willian is the prime example of failed recruitment. Hundreds of thousands of pounds every week on a player in the latter years of his career on a contract that shows no signs of being ended earlier than its terrifying 2023 end date.
Stop-gap signings that are more convenient than anything else have to end. Willian has been discussed endlessly and not far behind him is Cedric.
The right-back situation at Arsenal was ‘seen to’ with the addition of the Southampton man on loan in January 2020, a genius piece of business in which the Gunners paid a £5m loan fee for someone whose contract was due to end in six months and who just to happened to be injured: £5m, his wages covered and 250 minutes played.
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Arsenal offered surprise Cedric transfer move as Mikel Arteta plots summer overhaul with right-back position an area of uncertainty
Only ever signed as a backup option, his agent deserves a pat on the back for securing his client a three-year deal on cosy wages while he plays out his time in north London. A comfortable move for him.
Reports have emerged that he’s been impressing in training however, and despite needing to question the mentality of someone happy to play second or third fiddle when they’re 28 years old, there have never been any qualms with Cedric’s professionalism since he joined the club.
The issue is that he’s not very good.
Distinctly average in pretty much every department, as a backup, Cedric is fine. He’s fine. Coming in to play in cup matches or in case injury strikes, there are certainly worse right-backs to have to choose from. He’s as averagely good as he is averagely bad.
Despite that, he’s also one of three in his position at the club. Quite possibly one of four if we include Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who will still on the books. Cedric bottom of the pile.
Hector Bellerin being sold to Inter is a work in progress and Maitland-Niles is likely both assessing his options to leave while in the mean time sitting back and taking note of a depleted central midfield department, potentially seeking an opportunity.
Even with Bellerin gone, it would still benefit to have Cedric moved on. That is, of course, not easy given his contract situation, age and wages. Nobody is going to want to take a punt on a soon-to-be 30-year-old who ended up being third choice in both full-backs positions last season.
Or are they?
Continued…
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<h2>Arsenal offered surprise Cedric transfer move as Mikel Arteta plots summer overhaul with right-back position an area of uncertainty</h2>
<p>Only ever signed as a backup option, his agent deserves a pat on the back for securing his client a three-year deal on cosy wages while he plays out his time in north London. A comfortable move for him.</p>
<p>Reports have emerged that he’s been impressing in training however, and despite needing to question the mentality of someone happy to play second or third fiddle when they’re 28 years old, there have never been any qualms with Cedric’s professionalism since he joined the club.</p>
<p>The issue is that he’s not very good.</p>
<p>Distinctly average in pretty much every department, as a backup, Cedric is <em>fine</em>. He’s fine. Coming in to play in cup matches or in case injury strikes, there are certainly worse right-backs to have to choose from. He’s as averagely good as he is averagely bad.</p>
<p>Despite that, he’s also one of three in his position at the club. Quite possibly one of four if we include Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who will still on the books. Cedric bottom of the pile.</p>
<p>Hector Bellerin being sold to Inter is <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/29/arsenal-surprise-cedric-transfer-move/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/12/arsenal-informed-bellerin-transfer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a work in progress</a> and Maitland-Niles is likely both assessing his options to leave while in the mean time sitting back and taking note of a depleted central midfield department, potentially seeking an opportunity.</p>
<p>Even with Bellerin gone, it would still benefit to have Cedric moved on. That is, of course, not easy given his contract situation, age and wages. Nobody is going to want to take a punt on a soon-to-be 30-year-old who ended up being third choice in both full-backs positions last season.</p>
<p>Or are they?</p>
<p><em>Continued…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/29/arsenal-surprise-cedric-transfer-move/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Cedric has a suitor? </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-117544" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/29/arsenal-surprise-cedric-transfer-move/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1233973225-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Cedric Soares" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – JULY 13: Cedric Soares of Arsenal during a pre-season friendly between Hibernian and Arsenal at Easter Road on July 13, 2021 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Fenerbahce Eye Cedric Loan Transfer With Purchase Option</h2>
<p>As per <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/29/arsenal-surprise-cedric-transfer-move/"https://www.cnnturk.com/spor/futbol/son-dakika-fenerbahce-transfer-haberleri-vitor-pereira-sag-beke-cedric-soaresi-istedi?page=7%22 target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN Turkey</a>, Fenerbahce are eyeing up the Portuguese defender this summer as a personal preference of their manager Vitor Pereira who, believe it or not, is from Portugal.</p>
<p>A right-back and a striker are what is on the summer wishlist and if possible this would be a deal Arsenal will not look away from.</p>
<p>However, they want a loan. Not a loan with an obligation, but with an option to purchase. It was never going to be any different, was it?</p>
<p>Arsenal value Cedric at €6m (£5.1m) and the report adds that Cedric is open to the idea of leaving over fears of not securing enough playing time in north London. Even if he may have impressed Arteta and his coaching staff this summer, it would be a surprise to see <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/29/arsenal-surprise-cedric-transfer-move/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/25/arsenal-carried-away-english-transfers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Calum Chambers</a> left out of <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/29/arsenal-surprise-cedric-transfer-move/"https://www.90min.com/leagues/premier-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Premier League</a> starting lineups.</p>
<p>Apart from the structure of the deal, where the issue may lie is in the rules for foreign players in Turkey. Fenerbahce will need to lessen their foreign quota before bringing Cedric in, so whatever transpires won’t be a quick operation.</p>
<p>A loan doesn’t suit Arsenal other than having Cedric’s wages off the bill. Purchase options are always favourable to the buying club as they can pinch one year’s worth of minutes from a player then move on. Equally, it forces Arsenal to dip into the market in that position unless they can convince Maitland-Niles to play there.</p>
<p>Elsewhere they could get cover from Nuno Tavares as well as <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/29/arsenal-surprise-cedric-transfer-move/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/27/arsenal-white-varane-transfer-debate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben White</a>, so it will depend on how serious the offer from Fenerbahce is as well as how likely it is to occur. Even <em>more </em>to consider this transfer window.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="5 pros and cons of Odegaard transfer" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/27/arsenal-5-pros-cons-odegaard-transfer/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/29/arsenal-surprise-cedric-transfer-move/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/27/arsenal-5-pros-cons-odegaard-transfer/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> 5 pros and cons of Odegaard transfer </a> </div>
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<p>Yet, if Cedric can leave permanently, it’s a deal that shouldn’t be turned down.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
