Completing the signing Pablo Mari from Flamengo, Arsenal have finally addressed some of their defensive woes. However, despite the signing of Mari, Arsenal’s transfer business was far from finished. Arsenal have now also completed the signing of Cedric Soares from Southampton on loan for the rest of the season.
Cedric Soares Joins Arsenal on Loan from Southampton
Arsenal Loan Provides Extreme Incentive for Cedric Soares
Like Pablo Mari, Cedric Soares joins the Gunners on an initial loan deal. According to a tweet from The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the total cost for Arsenal will be about £5 million. Included in this total is Cedric’s reported £65,000 a week salary. However, unlike Pablo Mari, Cedric will find himself out of contract at the end of the current campaign.
That said, an option clause in the deal will give Cedric an incentive to perform over the next six months. Should the Portuguese international impress during his loan, Arsenal have the option of signing the right back to a new four-year contract.
Also of importance during this loan spell will be Cedric’s international future. With Cedric’s last international call-up coming back in November of 2018, the right-back will be looking to turn a good run of form with Arsenal into an international recall.
Departure Brings Both Good and Bad for Southampton
At the Southampton end of the equation, the move to loan Cedric provides both a good and bad situation for the club. On one hand, Southampton have profited off a player that would have departed the club for free this summer. Out of contract at the season’s end, Cedric announced in October that he would not be extending his stay on the South Coast.
Despite this, Cedric’s departure does leave Southampton in a bit of a pickle at the full-back position. Aiming to strengthen and improve depth at the position this month, Southampton basically replaced Cedric with Tottenham loanee Kyle Walker-Peters. While the 22-year-old right-back is extremely talented, his current skill level is unknown.
Cedric, on the other hand, was a very well known quantity at the position. Having spent the past five seasons with Saints, Cedric has made 138 appearances for the club. The Portuguese defender has struggled with his consistency at times, but there remains little doubt about his overall importance to the club.
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