Fulham have signed Arsenal full-back Cedric Soares on loan until the end of the season.
According to David Ornstein, Premier League club Fulham have acquired the services of Portuguese defender Cedric Soares in the final hours of the transfer deadline day. They have signed the right-back on loan until the end of the season.
🚨 Cedric Soares from Arsenal to Fulham on loan is now done @TheAthleticFC #AFC #FFC #DeadlineDay https://t.co/FxOD4y2Ebw
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 31, 2023
It is a straightforward loan deal between the clubs for the 31-year-old. Marco Silva’s team have been in the market to sign a right-back. They have looked at potential options and felt that bringing in Soares was the best they could do in the final few hours of the window.
Cedric has been at the Emirates for over two years now. During his time at the club, he has made 38 appearances in the Premier League and has been on the scoresheet twice. In the ongoing season, he has only featured four times in the Arsenal shirt. And, a loan move at this stage makes perfect sense for both the club and the player.
The 31-year-old will surely add a lot to the Fulham squad with the amount of experience he has playing in the English top flight. Soares has played 158 matches in the Premier League majority of which have been in a Southampton shirt. The Whites have been in great form this season and they are currently 7th in the league. He has the experience as well as the skill required to help them finish the season with a flurry.
Premier League clubs are not allowed to sign more than two players on loan from another EPL club. They already have Shane Duffy on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion and Dan James on loan from Leeds United. The only way Fulham can go ahead with this deal is if they make either of the loan moves a permanent signing. By the look of things, they have decided to make the Duffy move a permanent one.
As soon as Fulham sign Duffy permanently, it will free up the space to bring in a player on loan and Cedric will arrive from the Gunners. The Whites have also been in talks to sign right-back Joshua Brenet from FC Twente. But, that deal seems to have collapsed and they shifted their focus to the Portuguese.
Marco Silva made Cedric his primary target and according to David Ornstein, and Fulham have managed to secure the deal. An official announcement of the signing is likely to take place in the next few hours.
