Arsenal have confirmed the loan signing of right-back Cedric Soares from Southampton.
The Portugal international, 28, will spend the rest of the season at the Emirates with the Gunners in pole position to make the deal permanent in the summer when the player becomes a free agent.
Trusted sources, including David Ornstein and Charles Watts, claim our outlay for the next six months will come to around £5 million, including his full wages and a fee to the Saints.
He’s our Cedric! ✅
Welcome to London. Welcome to Arsenal.
? @OficialCedric pic.twitter.com/U6SSYKDSJU
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 31, 2020
Given Hector Bellerin’s return to fitness and Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ promising performances covering at right-back, the signing is a little surprising.
That said, any strengthening of our defence, to which we’ve also added Pablo Mari, is most welcome.
Soares, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Inter Milan, has 11 assists and three goals in 138 appearances for Southampton. He’s also played 33 times for his country and was part of the squad that won Euro 2016.
Unfortunately, this means he’s probably spent a fair bit of time with a naked Cristiano Ronaldo. Hopefully, he’s not too traumatised.
Welcome to Arsenal, Cedric.
welcome to the greatest club in the world!
HOW IS ANYONE ON THIS SITE DOWN-THUMBING THIS?!
AWAY WITH YOU
The fact that we love and support Arsenal til the end doesn’t mean we can’t be realistic at the same time about our current situation and admit that we’ve fallen behind in the last couple of years and got some work to do before we can get back where we used to belong.
Hopefully now we’re on the right track again with Mikel.
Hard to get all that into a chant, though.
And it’s Arsenal, Arsenal FC,
We’re by far the greatest team (subject to terms and conditions, and a certain bias since we support them)
the world’s ever seen (in a way, through red and white glasses)
I think you can be a great club without necesarrily having a great team
Its like saying your neighbor’s wife is better than your own becuase she’s better looking. Just doesn’t feel right.. If its just about numbers and titles then Pool and Utd would be 1st choice but if its the connection that matters then nothing is greater and more valueable than who you love and support. To each their own I guess..
I think he is smart signing. I hope he recovers from his injury quick so that we have enough backup on the right side of defence. I thought he was really good 2 seasons ago and if he can recapture that form then this would make for a good thing for us.
Agreed. I guess the most interesting part is whether we have some kind of “first dibs” penned in the contract for when he becomes a free agent in the summer. You wouldn’t want him to play a lot, and play well, then be inundated with juicy offers that we can’t match.
If not first dibs then at least a bagsy and hopefully with an optional ‘can’t break the bagsy’ should we wish to trigger it.
I still find this signing a little strange. I can only rationalise it if Arteta feels AMN will be a useful squad member in CM and wants to free him up to help our central midfielders out when the schedule gets full. Ah well, an extra body never hurt.
Welcome to Arsenal. Please drink responsibly.
You forgot ‘no backsies’
I think your middle paragraph might exactly be what is going on. A proper right back to keep Bellerin on his toes is better than a useful squad player who will never provide any competition. Also, Arteta might just be able to coach AMN to be a decent cover for Torriera.
I can see why it appears a strange signing, but i thin having two solid potential starters at each of the fullback positions is an absolute requirement if we are to be a top team again. So much pressure on fullbacks in today’s game. I like this signing a lot. And i love the bagsie reference.
mykola matviyenko? no? ok.
why not? he is a cb. Why not getting two cb and one rb in january if needed?! We are the arsenal, we do this aaaaaaall the tiiiime.
Matvienko? last seen ‘sneaking out the backdoor with a grin!’
Hello Matt Bianco. You’re a bunch of wankers!
I don’t know how many on here will remember that legendary ‘live children’s TV’ moment but I certainly do.
I do quite like this signing. As good a job as AMN has done in an unnatural position for himself, I am hoping this signing pushes him back into the midfield where he is most suited.
Welcome to Arsenal, Cedric.
Can you give any evidence AMN is more suited to the middle of the pitch than on the flank at either full back or wing? Can’t we just accept he is a utility piece that can cover a number of positions and that is a huge asset. He’s a useful player to have around the squad, but really, what evidence is there that he is some future solution to our midfield?
Skills and ability wise, he is more than capable, just lacks a bit of discipline and maturity. But he’s still quite young, with proper coaching from a coach who has actually played in a similar position and a consistent run of games might help.. Tbf I’ve noticed some change in his attitude since Arteta has arrived, he looks more commited and focused.
Yeah, sometimes under Emery with Pepe and AMN on that right hand side it did seem a little like there was a carbon monoxide leak down that flank.
?????
I don’t think young players develop properly as “utility players”. The priority is developing youngsters who are first and foremost experts in their position. Versatility is just a bonus. We won’t know if AMN can be the future solution to Arsenal’s midfield, or form a solid partnership with the other CMs unless… he actually plays some games in midfield. If you want evidence, Ainsley has the best tackling and interception numbers per90 of anyone in the squad, even Lucas Torreira. And he came through Hale End as a midfielder, played midfield in his successful England youth career and has won… Read more »
Personally think AMN has talked and thought his way out of a potentially great career at arsenal. All his best qualities(potentially elite qualities) are most suited at RB. Good luck to him and hope he still does great though.
I feel AMN is not physical enough to play in midfield. He’s going to get bossed off the ball I think. I was really enjoying his recent games at RB, but more players the better.
Waiting to hear Arteta’s justification.. should be interesting..
He said AMN isn’t a right back. If you discount him we only have one right back.
That’s my guess anyway …
AMN is a CDM by trade and we only have one registered in Torriera. It will also be wise to finally commit AMN to a position, which won’t take away his ability to cover RB or LB in emergencies. Also with more and more academy players coming through, it makes the Hale End connection even stronger in the team. Nothing can replace the understanding and ‘automatic’ developed as a result of playing together since childhood. Saka, Joe and ESR already through, Bellerin and Eddie are also academy graduates if not part of it since age 6. These kids are educated… Read more »
Injured. Yah.
The speed and finality with which these signings are done ushers in a new era. Let’s hope it translates to impenetrable defense. It is been our Achilles heel. Here’s to a great run in.
i ama bit more cautious ushering new era’s and that, wasn’t unai emery supposed to represent the new era? Anyways are we even scouting players anymore or is it just rauls black book of contacts now? did we sign this guy injured and will take 3-4 weeks to be fit? he wont be fit till end of Feb and season ends in May (3months)and for 5mil? 1.6 mill a month? who was the other guy we were offered for 7mil from PSG? with 6months left of his contract? seems like something that needs to be watched over the coming transfers!… Read more »
That Raul’s black book again. It has become a recurring theme.???
What is it with this suspicion over raul and his agent contact book? I hate the way agents have a huge say on what goes on nowadays but that’s a reality. No one has to be on board with it but those people also have to accept afterwards the missed opportunities. I’m not saying either is the right way to go but what should be understood is that things are now easier to get done. As long as our manager gets the final say on the purchase. The kurzawa deal apparently being vetoed by arteta suggests that’s still the case.… Read more »
We were able to snatch up a gem like Gabriel Martinelli by having the contacts to make that deal happen. Was that also a bad thing?
The little black book talk is very silly. It’s become fodder for gossipy fans and conspiracy theorists
Yup I agree with that
Welcome to The Arsenal, Our Cedric Soares
Do Arsenal include trauma check in medical? Probably with a picture of Ronaldo.
Maybe not some one to excited about, but at last the obvious areas with lack of depth in our team are being addressed. It was less than six weeks ago that we saw sokratis playing right back (shudder)
He’s not Shiny. People like shiny. But we like a gem that comes from the mud. But we don’t want to and are not good at sticking our fingers in dirt to pick potential gems and are not good at polishing them. I’m so happy that someone who’s practicing that, is finally on top with his band of misfits @klopp
Ced’s Red baby, Ced’s red!
Marcellus Wallace approves ??
A bit odd with the amount of full-backs we currently have, although I guess
being injured means he is a good fit!
One right back and two injured left backs?
Kola almost back, Saka filling in with great effect and Tierney in a couple of months. It feels like an agents favour which will further inflate our wage bill.
A good transfer window. Brought in 2 experienced defenders which is exactly what we needed at the start of Jan. Had a strong window in the summer as well which given the funds we have couldn’t have gone much better. Have to applaud Raul and Edu for the work they are doing with the funds they have.
I’m happy with this signing, although slightly perturbed. It’s eerily un-arsenal to need defenders and then go out and actually get defenders.
How dare Arteta destroy our club values like this.
Kim Kallstrom v2 incoming. Waiting for him to score the winning penalty in the Europa League final
No. Cedric is here to stay
..but he is an Entertainer?
Welcome on board, hope you do brilliantly and sign permanently in the summer. Perhaps you can ..Soar-es to new heights! (I’ll find my own way out, thank you..)
I know the economics of this one look strange, but let’s put it in another context. You sign a player in January for £10m, and obviously you are liable for his wages. Fast forward to July, and one of two things happen. a) It worked out and he stays in the squad b) It didn’t work out and you accept an offer of £7.5m from another club and cut your losses. Looking at it that way, if this signing works out and we offer a contract – and presuming he doesn’t ask for an exhorbitant signing on fee – then… Read more »
I think it’s taken so long and the fee is high because they’ve agreed the terms of the new contract if we decide to keep him.
Congratulations to Cedric and his agent for the move. It is a sweet deal.
Arteta wanted the player. End of discussion. Find something else to bitch and troll about
11 assists and 3 goals.
weren’t two of those goals against us?
Does a job, gives us numbers, can’t complain
At least we have two bodies in and have some much needed depth. At least we know Soares can play at the PL level, Mari will certainly need an adjustment period.
Welcome to Kronke’s Cow. Stan is milking and milking and ……
Nothing exciting in any of the. January signings but what’s out there. hopefully they will do a decent job.
Welcome to the Arsenal and the beast of luck
The only team I watch is Arsenal. Is he any good?