Arsenal are reportedly looking at a last-minute swoop for 28-year-old right-back Cedric Soares, with Ralph Hasenhuttl willing to let the Portuguese international leave this month.
According to The Telegraph, Southampton are willing to listen to offers to Cedric this month with the former Sporting Lisbon defender set to leave the club at the end of this season for free as the fullback admitted in an interview last November, with the Saints valuing the right-back at just £6m.
And Mikel Arteta is seemingly keen on the defender, with the Arsenal head coach eager to bolster his Gunners defence that has been plighted with injuries in recent weeks with the likes of former Saints’ player Calum Chambers being ruled out until next season at the earliest as Football London report.
Will Kyle Walker-Peters be a success at Southampton?NoYes
|
The north London club are also short on right-back numbers, with charts from Transfermarkt showing that Arsenal only have Hector Bellerin as a natural player in this defensive position, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Shkodran Mustafi filling in for the injury-hit Spaniard.
As well as having six-months remaining on his current contract, Southampton are already putting in plans to replace Cedric over the long-term, with Kyle Walker-Peters set to join the club on loan from Tottenham this week, however, The Southern Daily Echo report that the 22-year-old fullback won’t have the option to join the club permanently at the end of this season.
With Hasenhuttl already making moves to replace Cedric, Southampton could be smart to try and persuade Arsenal in taking the 28-year-old defender off their hands whilst his stock is still high, and whilst the Saints could have sold the 28-year-old fullback at a higher price if his contract wasn’t expiring so soon, £6m is a decent fee for a right-back who has been consistent in his years as a Premier League player.
