Mikel Arteta has been signing Cedric Soares’ praises ahead of the Arsenal-Norwich game.
It has been over 5 months since Soares signed for Arsenal and he is yet to play for them.
A mix of niggling injuries and the coronavirus hiatus has seen the fullback miss making his debut for this long. Finally, on Sunday we might get to see Soares in action on the right side. He suffered a facial injury during training before the restart, one he has recovered from.
“He’s a different quality in the full-back area than what we have,” Arteta said. “He’s a gifted, technical player and is probably the best we have in the final third to make the right decision and attack the box as well. He can play in a four or a five, he’s a really good player with experience in the Premier League that can help us.”
Does this mean it is the end of the line for Hector Bellerin? Reports have linked him with a move away and his recent performances could support that narrative. The Spaniard recovered from a serious knee injury this season to make a string of appearances. But Ainsley Maitland-Niles has looked better than him time and again, even after getting benched for a long period.
Bellerin seems to have lost a step in the last injury layoff. He no longer resonates the same level of quality that he showed early on as a teenager, breaking through the Arsenal ranks. If Soares manages to prove himself in the coming weeks, Arsenal might be inclined to cash in on their younger fullback to raise more funds.
Keep in mind, we still have to see Soares in action and Maitland-Niles is hesitant to play in the right-back role.
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