Mikel Arteta has made it clear that, having secured a good amount of our incoming transfer targets, it is now time to start thinning out the squad, which has grown drastically over the summer with our new signings and our returning loanees.
We already know that Arteta has given a contract extension to Mo Elneny, who everyone expected to leave, and Rob Holding doesn’t sound like he expected to be leaving any time soon, and now we have the Portugese defender Cedric Soares making it clear that he has no desire to leave his “dream club”.
“Arsenal was always my dream club since I started to play in Southampton,” Cedric told ESPN. “I always had the goal to move to Arsenal, and this didn’t change.
“Of course you are more happy when you are involved.
“Being involved here in a massive club like this, with the project we have and the goals the team is fighting for, I want to be here.
“I feel much more established. I feel I earned my space inside the group and I want to keep growing.”
The reason he became “more established” is because of the ongoing injury problems to Tomiyasu, and unless Arteta surprises us with a new backup, Cedric could be playing quite a lot again this coming season. He continued: “In football, you need to be patient but the key is how you prepare yourself,”
“I kept training well even when I was not an option. This is how I grew up and this is how I was taught. This is what helped me to have a great run of games and give a good answer to the manager and the team.”
He cemented the idea that he is a contented to be a team player, and you cannot help but admire his attitude after he was asked if he expected to keep his place even if Tomiyasu recovers from his injury problems. He said: “There is never a guarantee in football,” Cedric said.
“I never had a coach that guaranteed me my position so I don’t expect that. I expect always a fight for the position but the success of the collective is most important. Of course, we kind of challenge each other on the pitch during the week but at the weekend we are together helping each other, talking about the opponent we face.”
The fact is that he performed consistently in the second half of last season, without being spectacular, which is why some Just Arsenal readers don’t think he is quality enough, but surely as a backup player he is an excellent option?
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