Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has issued his verdict on the club's deadline day capture of Cedric Soares on loan from Southampton.
The Portugal international will spend the remainder of the season in north London, putting Arsenal in a solid position to secure his services permanently in the summer when his deal on the South Coast expires.
Cedric's versatility will be a decent asset to Mikel Arteta's side, with the full-back ranks looking fairly short, but there has been some concern about whether it would block Hector Bellerin's path.
However, Keown believes that's not the case and is confident that he will be a useful part of the squad for the fight in the coming months this season.
“I think he’s a good player. [Yan] Valery has come in, the youngster, there at Southampton. They look as though they are out of trouble so they want to make something happen," he told TalkSport.
“You have got [Hector] Bellerin, who is just coming to form, so he might not play long-term – and [Ainsley] Maitland-Niles – but I do feel he’s a good player. He’s a current holder with Portugal of the Euros and I think he has got enough to offer with Arsenal.
“It doesn’t block Bellerin's path because he will know long-term, both Maitland-Niles and himself are the future.
“But they have had injury issues in that area and [Cedric] is that sort of player, he plays very well out from the back, and it might be something [Arteta] is looking at – competition for places. I think that’s a good addition.”
Cedric is eligible to play in the knockout stages of the Europa League for Arsenal, where the Gunners tackle Olympiacos in the Round of 32 stage.
