Arsenal offered surprise Cedric transfer move

This summer is signalling a change of approach at Arsenal. Forever seeking the easy way out, the club have signed off on deals with no benefit towards the medium or long-term and, in most cases, hardly anything to the short-term either.

Willian is the prime example of failed recruitment. Hundreds of thousands of pounds every week on a player in the latter years of his career on a contract that shows no signs of being ended earlier than its terrifying 2023 end date.

Stop-gap signings that are more convenient than anything else have to end. Willian has been discussed endlessly and not far behind him is Cedric.

The right-back situation at Arsenal was ‘seen to’ with the addition of the Southampton man on loan in January 2020, a genius piece of business in which the Gunners paid a £5m loan fee for someone whose contract was due to end in six months and who just to happened to be injured: £5m, his wages covered and 250 minutes played.

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Arsenal offered surprise Cedric transfer move as Mikel Arteta plots summer overhaul with right-back position an area of uncertainty

Only ever signed as a backup option, his agent deserves a pat on the back for securing his client a three-year deal on cosy wages while he plays out his time in north London. A comfortable move for him.

Reports have emerged that he’s been impressing in training however, and despite needing to question the mentality of someone happy to play second or third fiddle when they’re 28 years old, there have never been any qualms with Cedric’s professionalism since he joined the club.

The issue is that he’s not very good.

Distinctly average in pretty much every department, as a backup, Cedric is fine. He’s fine. Coming in to play in cup matches or in case injury strikes, there are certainly worse right-backs to have to choose from. He’s as averagely good as he is averagely bad.

Despite that, he’s also one of three in his position at the club. Quite possibly one of four if we include Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who will still on the books. Cedric bottom of the pile.

Hector Bellerin being sold to Inter is a work in progress and Maitland-Niles is likely both assessing his options to leave while in the mean time sitting back and taking note of a depleted central midfield department, potentially seeking an opportunity.

Even with Bellerin gone, it would still benefit to have Cedric moved on. That is, of course, not easy given his contract situation, age and wages. Nobody is going to want to take a punt on a soon-to-be 30-year-old who ended up being third choice in both full-backs positions last season.

Or are they?

Continued…