Arsenal given extra time to complete final transfer after English window closes
Arsenal will be able to offload defender Cedric Soares even after the winter transfer window closes for Premier League clubs.
That's thanks to the window in Turkey remaining open until next Friday, February 9, with three clubs from the Super Lig interested in signing the Portuguese. Cedric, 32, has entered the final six months of his reported £75,000-a-week contract with Arsenal and boasts just two first-team appearances this season.
The versatile full-back spent the second half of last term on loan at Fulham but didn't manage to impress manager Marco Silva sufficiently for the Cottagers to sign him permanently. As Cedric remains out of Gunners boss Mikel Arteta's short and long-term plans at the Emirates, he's being tipped for an exit.
It's being reported by ESPN that Turkish giants Galatasaray, Besiktas and Trabzonspor are all interested in signing the former Southampton star and have plenty of time left to complete a deal. Arsenal will be keen to recoup the highest fee possible for Cedric's services, with the 32-year-old being able to leave for free this summer unless Arteta and co can orchestrate his departure over the next eight days.
Cedric has been a regular in Arsenal's recent matchday squads, yet has only made one start. That came in their final Champions League group game away to PSV Eindhoven last month, although he was replaced by Declan Rice on 62 minutes. Cedric's only other outing this term came at Brentford in the third round of the Carabao Cup, playing three minutes to help Arsenal see out a 1-0 win.
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The Sporting Lisbon academy graduate, who's earned 34 caps for his country and was part of the Portugal squad who triumphed at Euro 2016, has been tight-lipped on his future over the course of this season. The ex- Inter Milan loanee last spoke publicly in September after he was surprising named as part of Arteta's 25-man Champions League squad.
Speaking to DAZN Portugal, Cedric expressed his desire to stay in North London, saying of his Arsenal teammates: "We're very supportive of each other, we're a family, even when we're not playing. Everyone wants to play and I also always really want to play, that's what makes me competitive in football.
Cedric Soares is of interest to three clubs in the Turkish Super Lig (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)Your turn! Should Arsenal keep or sell Cedric Soares? Give us your stance in the comments section.
"It's what gets me to training every day with that determination, but also to realise that we have to contribute, even if we're not in the squad sometimes. That is the aspect I think I developed a lot at Arsenal. Sometimes you have to work for the group and not focus so much on yourself individually."
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