Arsenal player performed U-turn over January transfer for one big reason

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Arsenal veteran Cedric Soares was on the verge of a January exit, but now appears set to remain at the club until the end of the season.

It was recently reported that Galatasaray were closing in on a move for the 32-year-old, who has featured just twice all season.

However, they moved for Nottingham Forest full-back Serge Aurier instead, and Cedric remained at Arsenal beyond the English transfer deadline.

There was interest in the defender from several clubs, and it has now emerged that he could have moved to Portuguese giants Benfica.

Cedric Soares rejected Benfica transfer in January

A report from Record Portugal, as relayed by Sport Witness, has now revealed that Benfica were interested in signing the 2016 European Championship winner, but he turned down a move as they could not meet his salary demands.

He could have played more at Benfica, who are also competing in the Europa League knockouts, and would have joined a huge club in his native Portugal.

Despite Arsenal’s lack of depth at the back, it does not appear that Mikel Arteta intends to use Cedric between now and his contract expiry at the end of the season.

Arsenal only have themselves to blame in Cedric situation

As frustrating as it is that Arsenal could not ease their wage bill with a departure for Cedric, the club only have themselves to blame.

It was a baffling move four years ago to give Cedric a long-term deal with wages of £75k per week. He initially joined on loan, and did not appear once before he was handed the exuberant contract.

His wages have priced him out of exits beyond loan moves in the entire time he has been at the club, and he has shown little to suggest he should be playing more.

By the time his contract runs out in the summer, he will have cost the club millions in wages over the years with very little return, but the decision to sign him in the first place is more to blame than Cedric’s decision to run down his contract now.

Edu Gaspar has terminated several contracts at great expense in recent years, but in some of these cases, such as Cedric’s, the contracts these players were on should not have been given out, and the players themselves have a right to stay as long as their deal allows them to.