Cédric Soares has joined Premier League side Fulham on loan for the remainder of the season. The loan move has taken several weeks to fully sort out, but has finally been concluded. Fulham will cover the entirety of the player’s salary in that time.
Cédric has found game time harder to come by this season. The exceptional form of Benjamin White, not to mention the constant presence of back-up Takehiro Tomiyasu, has meant that Cédric has been reduced to just four appearances in all competitions this season.
Arsenal initially signed Cédric on a six-month loan deal on deadline day of January 2020. Initially at Southampton, Arsenal were in needed of full-back cover for Héctor Bellerín and Cédric, who’s contract would expire in six months time, was seen as good back-up.
After a successful loan spell (in which he scored on his debut), Cédric signed a four-year deal with the club.
The move is somewhat bitter-sweet for Arsenal. Though hardly an ever-present fixture in the first-team playing squad, Cédric has been a loyal servant to Arsenal over the three years he has been at the club, never complaining over a lack of game time and constantly answering the call when asked upon.
There has, however, been a downside to Cédric’s time with the club.
Cédric was, and still is, a client of notorious super-agent Kia Joorabchian. Joorabchian has been a controversial presence at Arsenal in recent seasons, having advised on key signings such as Chelsea duo David Luiz and Willian.
Though not a permanent move, Cédric’s departutre does seem to loosen the super-agent’s grip on Arsenal.
Cédric’s departure has also meant that Arsenal can now explore other market opportunities. The club’s main focus, for now, is to recruit Real Valladolid full-back Iván Fresneda is at the top of the club’s priority list and could be signed for a figure of around £13m and loaned back to the club until next season.
This is the first bit of outgoing business from the first-team this window. All other conducted transfer business has been in the form of incomings, with Leandro Trossard joining from Brighton & Hove Albion and Jakub Kiwior arriving from Serie A side Spezia.