Arsenal have a little less than two weeks to decide on a contract extension for Portuguese full-back Cedric Soares, according to reports in Daily Star.
The 28-year-old joined Southampton in the summer of 2015 and has since become a dependable full-back. Having made over 100 Premier League appearances for the Saints he joined Inter Milan on loan last January.
The full-back joined the North London club this January on a loan deal but has not yet played for the club due to injury concerns.
The report in Daily Star claims that Arsenal expected that Cedric will spend around 3 weeks on the sidelines. However, the defender has not recovered as quickly as the club would have liked and is still sidelined.
He will become a free agent when his loan deal ends as his current contract with Southampton will also expire on the 30th of June. As per a FIFA approved rule, Arsenal have till the 23rd of June to agree on a short-term deal for Cedric which will allow those players who are out of a contract to continue playing until the season ends.
That gives Mikel Arteta and the club less than two weeks to choose what they want to do with their full-back. With the Premier League suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been given a chance to work his way to full fitness. Now, the Gunners need to make a decision on extending his contract.
If the Emirates club does go ahead with the short-term deal, it will help them navigate a tricky fixture list. They will play as many as 6 games in 17 days which will take a toll on the squad. So, it will be really useful to have a player of Cedric’s ability and experience.
The Portuguese full-back might be mostly used as a back up for the first choice right-back Hector Bellerin. Having spent so many seasons in the Premier League, he will know what it takes to do well in England.
There is still time for Cedric to make his Gunners debut and if the club goes and signs him on a short-term deal, fans can finally see him in an Arsenal shirt.
