Fulham are reportedly close to signing Arsenal defender Cedric Soares on loan, with transfer talks progressing over the last few days between the two Premier League clubs.
According to the Evening Standard, the west London side have been in formal discussions with Arsenal over Cedric, with Fulham the frontrunners to sign the Portuguese right-back as the Arsenal star now looks set to leave the Emirates Stadium in January.
As per the report, Arsenal have some squad worries about letting Cedric leave, however, it is expected that the defender will sign for Fulham on loan with an obligation to buy, a deal that would suit all parties.
Earning a reported £75,000-a-week, Cedric is one of the last players in the Arsenal squad supporters would consider part of the Mikel Arteta overhaul, with the right-back making just one start all season despite featuring quite heavily last campaign.
Persistent injuries to Takehiro Tomiyasu saw Cedric make over 25 appearances for the Gunners. However, Ben White’s move to right-back has now seen the Japanese international take a spot on the bench, with the former Southampton man mostly excluded from the squad.
Indeed, a move to Fulham would be a great move for Cedric given how much Marco Silva’s side are in need of a right-back, and with former teammate Bernd Leno at the club already, the Portuguese fullback will fit in well at Craven Cottage in 2023.
Fulham signing Cedric will be a huge weight off Arsenal’s shoulders
As mentioned, Cedric is one of the last few players on Arsenal’s books that supporters would deem worthy of being offloaded and replaced in Arteta’s grand plan for the north London club. And the defender signing for Fulham is a big weight lifted from the Gunners’ shoulders.
After all, the north London side have been ruthless and efficient in their squad management in recent windows, and selling Cedric for good is an ideal move for many supporters, especially given how good Arsenal’s right-back options are in White and Tomiyasu.
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