Cedric Soares Facing Early Arsenal Exit After Failing to Play Single Minute

Some transfers make absolutely no sense whatsoever.

But, some of those transfers make total sense when you realise that Arsenal are involved. This is a club who signed a midfielder with a broken back for Pete's sake.

On the face of it, striking a loan deal for Cedric Soares as cover for Hector Bellerin in January wasn't a totally barmy idea. Arsenal needed cover for the Spaniard as they were - at the time - challenging on three fronts, although ideally it wouldn't have cost them a £1m loan fee, £65k-per-week wages and the player wasn't injured.

That was the case for Cedric, who the Gunners brought in from Southampton during the winter window. Yet, having taken longer than expected to recover from injury, Arsenal no longer playing in Europe and the coronavirus bringing football to a halt, he hasn't played a single minute for the club.

As per Goal, that may continue, as the club are yet to agree an extension on his deal - which runs out on 30 June - ahead of the 23 June deadline. The door isn't fully closed yet on a new arrangement, but with the clocking ticking down, both player and club have a decision to make.

The Gunners recently played two friendly matches as they prepare for their Premier League return on 17 June, but Cedric was not involved in either having suffered a facial injury during training - and whether he'll recover in time for the upcoming fixtures, or play ahead of Bellerin, isn't known.

Before his loan deal expires, Mikel Arteta's side have three fixtures to play, firstly against Manchester City, followed by Brighton and then Sheffield United in the FA Cup.

There is the risk that Cedric could be reluctant to play for the rest of the season over fear of suffering an injury, which could ruin his chances of a permanent transfer elsewhere as he is out of contract at Southampton in the summer.

However, that said, I'm pretty sure I know a club who don't mind signing players who are already crocked. What were they called again....?

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