Arsenal set to offload £75k-a-week ace Mikel Arteta is desperate to get rid of

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal could be on the verge of offloading Cedric Soares. 

Mikel Arteta has made it clear that he no longer wants Cedric Soares at Arsenal. 

The Portuguese full-back is one of two players that the Spanish coach is eager to move on as soon as possible in order to raise transfer funds that can then be reinvested in this January transfer window. 

In the case of Cedric, time is also of the essence as the 32-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign. This month is therefore the north London club’s last chance to recoup some sort of fee for the player. At the very least, it is a final opportunity to get his £75,000-a-week wages off the books a little earlier than planned. 

According to Record, Turkish club Besiktas are keen to secure the player’s services this month.

Cedric certainly isn’t in the manager’s first team plans at the Emirates Stadium. So far this season, the 34-cap former Portugal international has only made two appearances, once in the Champions League and once in the EFL Cup. 

Even given the injuries sustained by Jurrien Timber, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Ben White at times this season, Arteta does not appear to have considered making Cedric a more central figure in his plans at any point.

Arsenal must learn from Cedric Soares mistake

Cedric initially arrived at the Emirates Stadium on loan in the January of 2020, before signing a long-term contract with the club and joining on a free transfer at the end of that season. 

Whilst in his first full season with the club he was able to make 21 Premier League appearances, Cedric was never able to make himself a regular starter under Arteta, and slipped down the pecking order rapidly after that point.

The decision to sign Cedric on a permanent basis in the first place must now be regarded as a real error. He has barely featured for the past two seasons, and has cost the club plenty in terms of wages during that period. Given his age, his re-sale value was always extremely limited, and now Arsenal run the risk of losing him on a free.

Even if Besiktas, or any other club, do come in with an offer this month, the Gunners’ bargaining position is so weak that they cannot hope to attract a fee of any note for the player. The sooner Cedric is gone, the better, and Arteta must learn from this transfer misstep.