17 January 2023 , 22:54
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Arsenal right-back Cedric could leave the club in January, with Fulham entering talks over a move for the Portugal international.
Cedric has played for the Gunners since January 2020, initially joining on loan from Southampton before making the move permanent later that year. He has played 33 times in the Premier League for the club, but has managed just 28 minutes in the competition this season.
With Takehiro Tomiyasu joining last summer and Ben White impressing at right-back this term, the 31-year-old has dropped down the pecking order. A move away from the Emirates Stadium might not mean a move away from London, though, with Marco Silva's Cottagers looking into a deal.
According to The Athletic, Fulham have opened talks over a January deal. The publication suggests a loan or a permanent switch could be on the table for a player who worked with manager Silva earlier in his career.
Cedric came through the ranks at Sporting CP, winning his first senior Portugal caps while on the books of the Lisbon club. Silva was the manager for the last of his seasons as Estadio Jose Alvalade, with Sporting finishing third in the Primeira Liga and winning the Portuguese cup.
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The Athletic reports that a deal is not yet close. If the defender ends up moving on loan, Fulham would first need to do something about one of their two current on-loan players - Shane Duffy and Dan James - as the Premier League limits clubs to a maximum of two loans at any one time.
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Cedric has played just four times in all competitions this season (Getty Images)Cedric had to wait until late October for his first appearance of the season, coming off the bench in a 5-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. He has played three further games, starting an EFL Cup defeat at home to Brighton and earning minutes from the bench against Wolves in the league and FC Zurich in Europe.
The defender has plenty of Premier League experience, having played 120 times in the competition for Southampton before moving to north London. He also had a brief stint on loan at Inter Milan during the 2018-19 season, while his 34 Portugal caps include an appearance in the Euro 2016 final victory.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was asked about the club's transfer business after victory over Spurs on Sunday helped his team move eight points clear at the top of the league. Incomings were the main topic, though, after the Gunners were beaten to the signing of Mykhaylo Mudryk.
"We have excellent players," Arteta said, per club media. "We want to improve our squad in this transfer window and when I say we, myself, the coaching staff, the staff, the players, the board, and ownership. We are all in this together, but we will do the deals that we can do and that we believe is right for the football club."