Arsenal: 5 huge successes from the January transfer window

1. The Cedric Soares effect

Speaking of things that I’ve gushed about, bringing in Cedric Soares is a delicious move. Here we have a proven Premier League rightback, who can also shift over and play leftback. He provides all the depth we could ever ask for behind Hector Bellerin and the injury-duo of Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac.

But moving away from what he brings individually, we have to look at what he does to two crucial youngsters.

First, Ainsley Maitland-Niles. The guy who’s been at rightback so long we were being forced to call him a rightback. He’s not though. He’s a midfielder, that’s where he wants to play, but he’s been denied that since Bellerin can never stay healthy for long.

Soares fixes that. Big time. Maitland-Niles has more liberty to be used at other positions now.

Secondly, Bukayo Saka. The talented youngster has, like Maitland-Niles, been forced into leftback duties for lack of another option.

Soares fixes that. Now Soares can be the third choice let back along with being the second choice rightback. And these two young stars? Freed to play their preferred roles. Amen!