Arsenal defender Cedric Soares was absent from the squad in last night’s draw with Newcastle. Ben White was replaced by Takehiro Tomiyasu, and youngster Nathan Butler-Oyedeji filled the gap left by the Portuguese international.
Cedric has been on the fringes of the Arsenal squad this season and could leave the club this winter. football.london understands talks have been held with Fulham and Bayer Leverkusen for the 31-year-old and the Gunners would be open to a potential sale.
Mikel Arteta has spoken of the caution that Arsenal need to have with any departures. The squad is already thin after a number of injuries and last season’s absence of Kieran Tierney ended up costing the side in defence.
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"We know where we are in terms of the squad and the numbers that we have,” he said. “So, we’re going to be extremely cautious about what we are going to do in this window."
If Cedric were to leave it would mean both White and Tomiyasu would become the sole senior options in the position. During the summer Mikel Arteta handed an opportunity to youth player Reuell Walters.
The newly turned 18-year-old has impressed the Arsenal manager and was the only youth player taken on the summer US tour. The teenager can play at both right-back and centre-half and is a confident ball player.
Further to Walters Arsenal have on loan talent Brooke Norton-Cuffy. Spending the season with Championship side Rotherham after a successful six-month spell in League One with Lincoln, Norton-Cuffy is an offensive full-back who loves to create chances but is not afraid of the necessity to defend either.
Both players have their drawbacks which are unsurprising considering their ages. Yet both have great talent and could have a future with the club if a pathway remains open to them.
This is the conflict which Arteta faces. Should Cedric leave and the club opt to strengthen the position they risk blocking that route for these young stars.
The links so far also point toward another young player. Eighteen-year-old Ivan Fresneda has been the main name mentioned so far which is a puzzler considering his similar age to the Gunners’ young duo.
The difference being Fresneda is already playing in an elite league in Spain. Arsenal need to ensure they play this correctly to not only maximise potential revenue from Cedric’s exit but keep themselves covered whilst also considering the future of these young players.
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