Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Football London
Football London
Sport
Kaya Kaynak & Aaron Catterson-Reid

Ben White alternative ready for Arsenal right-back battle as Edu faces transfer decision

Arsenal would like defender Cedric Soares to stay in north London and fight for his place next season, football.london understands.

Cedric, who joined the Gunners back in January 2020, found first-team opportunities hard to come by during the first half of the 2022/23 campaign. He then opted to leave on loan, signing for Fulham in the winter window until the end of the current campaign.

But the 31-year-old is keen to return to the Emirates Stadium this summer and try and fight for a place in Mikel Arteta's squad during pre-season following positive feedback from the club in recent times. With Champions League football on offer next season it's thought that the Portuguese international's experience could be a useful asset for Arsenal who would like to see him return.

READ NEXT : Arsenal to sanction 22 transfers as Edu faces easy £13m decision amid 4-word Declan Rice hint

Ben White has established himself as Arsenal's first-choice right-back this term, producing consistent performances to help Arteta's side mount a serious title challenge that ultimately came short of champions Manchester City. Takehiro Tomiyasu was White's deputy until he sustained a serious knee injury during a Europa League clash against Sporting CP back in March. When discussing the Gunners' injury issues earlier this month, Arteta hinted that Tomiyasu could face a significant period on the treatment table.

"I don’t know, he’s an important player but I don’t know how to quantify," Arteta said when asked about William Saliba's fitness issues. "I don’t know how to quantify when Gabriel Jesus has been out for four months, Nketiah for three months, Emile Smith Rowe for four and a half months, Kieran Tierney out for a few weeks, Tomiyasu out for three-and-a-half months, maybe now six months. This is football."

The north London outfit have already shown interest in Real Valladolid's Ivan Fresneda and have recently been linked with a move for Manchester City's Joao Cancelo. It is clear that Sporting Director Edu will have a big decision to make this summer.

Who is your Arsenal player of the season? Have your say by voting below!

READ NEXT:

Mikel Arteta to sanction 14 exits to fund 8 new signings in major Arsenal transfer rebuild

Mikel Arteta has already warned Arsenal against Ilkay Gundogan and Joao Cancelo transfers

Arsenal to sanction 22 transfers as Edu faces easy £13m decision amid 4-word Declan Rice hint

Rice and Caicedo sign - Dream Arsenal transfer scenario could become a nightmare with two exits

Arsenal news and transfer LIVE: All the latest updates from the Emirates Stadium

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.