Arsenal

Former Arsenal manager Unai Emery has criticised the attitude of some of his players during his time with the Gunners and said the club were on a "downward slope" when he arrived in 2018.

The Spaniard spoke to France Football (h/t Get French Football News) about his 18 months in charge of the club and the difficulties he faced replacing Arsene Wenger at the Emirates Stadium:

"Arsenal was a club on a downward slope for two years before I arrived. We stopped this fall and even began to rebuild the club with the Europa League final and fifth place in the league, only one point off of Tottenham despite the fact that we took just one point in our final five matches."

Emery was sacked in November 2019 following a poor run of results that saw the Gunners go seven games without a victory, their worst winless run since 1992:

• Worst start to a Premier League season EVER
• Worst run of form since 1992
• Fewest Arsenal shots in a Premier League season (18/19)

The Arsenal hierarchy decided it was time to let Unai Emery go... pic.twitter.com/daRZxPtLkA

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 29, 2019

Arsenal finished fifth in the Premier League and reached the final of the UEFA Europa League in Emery's first full season in charge but lost their way rapidly and made a poor start to the 2019-20 campaign.

Emery saw a number of key players depart in the 2019 summer transfer window and said those departures had a big impact on his team:

"We lost our four captains: Koscielny, Cech, Ramsey and Monreal. They were personalities that we missed this season to stay on the right track. And some stars did not have a good attitude and asked for more than what they were giving back. Taking all of that into account, we needed time to succeed with our transition to a new Arsenal which is what I wanted."

James Olley at the Evening Standard reported that Emery "lost control" at Arsenal before his departure and that players "openly mocked his accent and broken English."

Journalist Layth Yousif offered more reasons as to where it all went wrong for Emery:

So. Emery has another dig at Arsenal. Here's a few things he should recall before rewriting history: Consistently underwhelming performances. Bad communication skills. Muddled tactics. Ineffective formations. Poor pressing. Losing 4th. Losing Ramsey. Failure to manage Ozil. Baku pic.twitter.com/5UhNzSg4Oo

— Layth (@laythy29) February 10, 2020

The former Arsenal boss has accepted some of the blame for Arsenal's poor performances but does not seem too impressed by their results under new manager Mikel Arteta:

More from Emery: "At Arsenal, there was a process in place this year that took longer than planned with our leaders’ departures and individual underperformance. Of course, I am partly responsible, but you can see the team isn’t necessarily doing better since my departure."

— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) February 10, 2020

Arsenal appointed Arteta as their permanent manager in December, and the 37-year-old had overseen an upturn in performances, if not results, in north London.

Goalkeeper Bernd Leno told reporters that Arteta has already had "a big impact" at the club and added that life under their previous manager was "a little bit confusing."

Mesut Ozil, who was largely frozen out under Emery despite being the club's highest-paid player, has said Arsenal have improved tactically:

"Tactically we improve a lot"

Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette reflect on Mikel Arteta's start to life as Gunners boss

More: https://t.co/5RDkdZmjo6 pic.twitter.com/zc1Bj3Idup

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 10, 2020

There is no doubt that Emery's reputation has been tarnished by his time at Arsenal after winning trophies at former clubs PSG and Sevilla. Arteta's arrival has brought fresh optimism to the Gunners, but his record of one Premier League win from his first eight games highlights just how much work he has to do at Arsenal.

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil said he intends to stay at the club until his contract expires in 2021 and explained how the Gunners have improved under new manager Mikel Arteta.

The German told The National's Jon McAuley that he remains committed to the north Londoners but is unsure what his future holds after his current deal runs out:

"After this season I have one more year, so after that I will know because I can't see the future. The thing I can do is give everything for the team, for myself, to be successful and let's see what happens.

“What I know is that I will give everything for this club, for my teammates. We've had a difficult season, but we want to win games again, to take points, to maybe be in the top four at the end of the season."

Ozil signed a new deal in January 2018 that made him the highest-paid player in the club's history on wages of £350,000 a week before tax:

EXCLUSIVE: Mesut Ozil signs a new three-and-a-half year contract to remain at Arsenal until summer 2021. Becomes highest-paid player in club history on around £350k per week before tax. Deal agreed last weekend, signed at Colney this morning. Could take him to 8yrs at #AFC & 32yo pic.twitter.com/600XtVnbnH

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 31, 2018

However, the playmaker has endured a difficult time at the club since then. He was frozen out at times under previous manager Unai Emery but has returned to action regularly since Arteta took the helm.

Yet Ozil has not been able to replicate his best form. He has made 15 Premier League appearances for Arsenal in 2019-20 but is yet to score and has only managed one assist.

Ozil's difficulties at Arsenal have prompted speculation over his future. Turkish side Fenerbahce were reported to be interested in signing the 31-year-old, who is of Turkish descent, in the January transfer window, according to Fotomac (h/t FourFourTwo).

Major League Soccer side DC United are also interested in Ozil but may have to wait to secure his services, according to Steven Goff at the Washington Post:

D.C. United had a representative in London on Tuesday for a meeting with players and agents that included @MesutOzil1088, a dream target first reported here last August. It seems Jan. 2021 is the earliest DCU would have a chance at him. #dcu #mls #gunners

— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) January 22, 2020

The 31-year-old has said the team are heading in the right direction under Arteta, a fellow midfielder under Arsene Wenger for two seasons. The Spaniard has only managed one Premier League win in eight matches since being named permanent boss, but Ozil said the team can secure a place in the top four:

"So, right now, everybody knows tactically that we're improving. It's just two months that Mikel has been here, and we have improved a lot tactically. Of course, now it's hard times for us. It's difficult to say because right now everything is not going well, but we know if everything is going well, if the confidence is back and if we take the right results, we will end in the top four, in the top five." 

Arsenal are in 10th place in the Premier League table, 10 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with 13 games left to play. Their hopes of finishing in the top four remain alive, but the club will need a vast improvement in form as well other teams to drop points if they are to end the season on a high.

Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli couldn't help being flattered by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp's praise following a Carabao Cup clash between the two Premier League rivals back in October.

Martinelli scored twice during the 5-5 draw at Anfield before a young Liverpool side won 5-4 on penalties. The Brazilian was lauded by Klopp, something the 18-year-old reflected on during a recent interview with Marca (h/t Jake Polden of the Daily Mirror): "I feel very proud that one of the best tacticians in the world speaks well of me. Now I have to remain firm, focused and continue working to achieve greater things."

Klopp was sufficiently wowed to adorn Martinelli with the lofty label "talent of the century," per Polden.

Martinelli may not be at that level, but he has been defying expectations during his first season in England. He arrived from Ituano last summer for a fee believed to be £6 million, a sum that's looked like a bargain since, thanks to Martinelli scoring 10 goals and providing three assists in all competitions.

More than just the numbers, Martinelli has shown a coolness in front of goal beyond his tender years, as was seen with his super solo goal during the 2-2 draw away to Chelsea in January.

Martinelli's performances have made him a regular under head coach Mikel Arteta since the Spaniard succeeded Freddie Ljungberg in late December. He's started the last three games in England's top flight, as well as the 2-1 win over Bournemouth in the FA Cup fourth round.

Martinelli's quick adaptation helped Arsenal cope without leading scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during a three-game suspension in January, and his performance has been all the more valuable to Arsenal because of the struggles of Nicolas Pepe, who was a far more expensive summer addition to the team's forwards.

The former Lille winger became the Gunners' record signing when he arrived from Ligue 1 in a deal worth £72 million. Yet Pepe has failed to become a regular starter under Arteta or predecessors Ljungberg and Unai Emery, managing five goals and as many assists in 27 appearances across all competitions (17 starts).

Pepe's struggles, along with persistent rumours linking Aubameyang with a move away, mean Martinelli could soon become a player Arteta builds his team around.

Martinelli was originally signed as a prospect to be developed, but his rapid strides should save Arsenal millions in the transfer market in the coming years.

Arsenal starlet Gabriel Martinelli has spoken about his trial with Barcelona prior to joining the Gunners and how he became friends with rising Blaugrana star Ansu Fati.

The Brazilian explained to Marca (h/t Goal's Chris Burton) why things didn't pan out in Spain:

"Shortly before the Sao Paulo Cup I spent a few days training in Barcelona. I spent 15 days there. Barcelona invited me to train with them in La Masia, but afterwards, they didn't want to do anything with me, they didn't tell me anything ... I went back to Ituano, I played Copinha and then I came to Arsenal.

"To see how they train, know the structure of the club, the city ... it was a dream come true. I even trained with Ansu Fati and we became friends. He helped me a lot there and is now playing in the main team. He is a boy who deserves everything that is happening to him. He is super humble and welcomed me really well there."

He also named former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as his idol but shot down rumours Los Blancos have contacted him with an eye on a move: "No, nothing has come to me. I am focused here doing my job at Arsenal and my head is here."

The 18-year-old joined the Gunners in the summer after stints with Corinthians and Ituano. He has needed little time to adapt to the Premier League, scoring three goals already. He has also netted three times in the UEFA Europa League.

His most recent goal came in the 2-2 draw against Chelsea, showing off his tremendous athleticism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEv_orXpbSY

The forward has been one of the few bright spots in what has been a disappointing season for the Gunners. Mikel Arteta replaced Unai Emery as manager in December, but the results haven't improved. Arsenal enter Week 26 in 10th place in the Premier League standings.

Arteta has given Martinelli plenty of opportunities to prove himself, and the youngster has delivered, earning the team's Player of the Month award with nearly half of the total votes:

🏆 Congratulations, Gabi! 👏

🇧🇷 Gabriel Martinelli is your Player of the Month for January - with Gabi taking 49 per cent of the votes 🗳

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 5, 2020

It's no surprise his strong form and rapid progression have led to transfer speculation. Spanish giants Real have prioritised the signing of young Brazilian talent in recent years, so they would appear likely suitors for the teenage star.

Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Reinier have already made the move to the Spanish capital, giving manager Zinedine Zidane three talents with huge upside to build his attack around.  

Martinelli would fit in nicely, but Arsenal are unlikely to entertain offers for one of their best talents this soon.

Arsenal have received a glowing endorsement about the talent and potential of William Saliba from an unlikely source. Saliba signed for the Gunners last summer but has remained at Saint-Etienne on loan, where he has impressed Mathieu Debuchy, who left north London under a cloud in 2018.

Debuchy returned to Ligue 1 after an injury-hit stint with Arsenal, but told the Official Ligue 1 Podcast (h/t Goal's Chris Burton) his former club has acquired a special player: "He's a great player. I'm so happy for him to play next season for a big club like Arsenal. He improves every game, and I think he is a great player. He's strong, with good technique. He's quick, too. I think he has a lot of quality to play at Arsenal."

Club team-mate Yohan Cabaye echoed Debuchy's words. The 34-year-old is also a former Premier League player, with spells at Newcastle United and Crystal Palace, and he told the same source Saliba is "strong, and hopefully, he will adapt himself really quickly. In a club like Arsenal with French players, I think he can do really well."

Saliba is slated to join up with the Arsenal team this summer, with the 18-year-old expected to add the athleticism and aggressiveness the Gunners have lacked at the back for too long.

His promise was enough for the defensively needy Gunners to wait on Saliba's arrival after spending £27 million on the teenager last summer. The deal was only agreed after Saint-Etienne insisted the centre-back spend this season on loan.

Initially, it looked like a misstep after Arsenal failed to fortify the backline despite signing David Luiz from Chelsea and bringing Kieran Tierney over from Celtic. Former Chelsea man Luiz has been mistake-prone, while brittle left-back Tierney is out until March with a shoulder injury.

Worse still, Saliba's development looked to be stalled when he missed six weeks following surgery to fix a thigh problem. A fractured foot has also cost him time, but The Sun's Jeremy Smith still praised his impact under Claude Puel: "Slotting into the right side of Puel's back three, he has added a sense calmness to what had been a very nervy back line—despite being its youngest member."

Saliba has been catching the eye, particularly during a 1-0 win over AS Monaco in the Coupe de France on January 28:

Saint-Étienne with William Saliba this season:

✅8 games
⛔️5 clean sheets
❌4 goals conceded

Arsenal bought themeselves a monster.

— Football Talent Scout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) January 28, 2020

Arsenal don't play a back three on Mikel Arteta's watch, but the Spaniard has prioritized making the team's rearguard tougher. Arteta has Arsenal pressing with more intensity and higher up the pitch.

It's meant teams are finding it harder to create clear-cut chances against the Gunners. There has been a noticeable improvement in the number of shots faced, which was an obvious problem during Emery's tenure:

Arsenal in 2019-20

Shots per game
Emery 12.5
Ljungberg 10
Arteta 9.6

Shots allowed per game
Emery 16.8
Ljungberg 13.8
Arteta 12.4

— Orbinho (@Orbinho) February 2, 2020

Making improvements with the existing and previously struggling personnel bodes well for how strong Arsenal's defence can become for a team guilty of conceding 34 goals in 25 league games already this season.

Previous attempts to bolster personnel have fallen flat. Luiz, Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos have struggled at centre-back, while Debuchy failed to replace Bacary Sagna in 2014.

Debuchy couldn't overcome injuries and criticised then-Arsenal chief Arsene Wenger for denying him the chance to join Manchester United in the winter of 2018.

Saliba will give Arteta better options, along with January signings Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares. Arsenal acquired centre-back Mari from Flamengo, while Soares arrived from Southampton, with both players joining on loan deals with options to buy, per BBC Sport.

Pablo Mari committed more fouls (28) than he made tackles (22) for Flamengo last season pic.twitter.com/u1qTINBGWq

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) January 29, 2020

Cédric Soares will be the third Portuguese player to make a Premier League appearance for Arsenal:

🇵🇹 Luis Boa Morte
🇵🇹 Amaury Bischoff (Yes, really)

Now that is serious trivia. pic.twitter.com/7xdxkyF1zw

— William Hill (@WilliamHill) January 31, 2020

The ideal scenario would see natural left-footer Mari form a complementary partnership with Saliba. Pace, power and continuity are the traits any strong defence is built on, and Saliba's impending arrival represents the latest attempt for Arsenal to rebuild a unit overhauled unsuccessfully several times since 2014.

Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli has said the club denied him permission to take part in the ongoing Olympic qualifying matches for Brazil. 

The 18-year-old has been one of the success stories of the Gunners' campaign, showcasing exciting potential following a transfer from Ituano in the summer of 2019.

After shining for Arsenal, it's anticipated Martinelli will play a part for the Selecao at the Games this summer, when they will be seeking to defend the Olympic title they won four years ago. Speaking to UOL (h/t Alex Milne of the Daily Mirror), the teenager said he wanted to be involved in the recent qualifiers:

"I said that if it was up to me I would play. But we knew it would be difficult. It was a time when I was a started at Arsenal, and people preferred not to let me go.

"He (Brazil general coordinator Juninho Paulista) already called me, spoke to me and congratulated me on what I'm doing. I haven't been called up yet, but I'm very calm about it. We talked a little after he went to the national team. He called me, said that this was the opportunity of my life, that I should give my best because things would go well."

As relayed by Milne, Martinelli is also eligible to play for Italy, and he's yet to decide which country he will represent in the future.

The Selecao face three matches in quick succession in their attempt to qualify for the tournament. They faced Colombia on Monday in their first CONMEBOL pre-Olympic Tournament encounter, drawing 1-1; next up is a clash with Uruguay on Wednesday before they finish against Argentina on Sunday.

Here are the highlights from the first match, with Matheus Cunha on the scoresheet for Brazil:

If Arsenal were in a stronger position in the Premier League they may have been more open to allowing Martinelli to go off on international duty in midseason. However, he's developed into one of the key players in a team down in 10th in the Premier League.

Aside from star forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the teenager is the team's most likely source of goals; It's been a while since an Arsenal forward so young made an impression this big:

Gabriel Martinelli is the 1st teenager to score 🔟+ goals in a single season for @Arsenal (all comps) since Nicolas Anelka in 1998/99 🇧🇷 #CHEARS pic.twitter.com/3OkVqnydrr

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 22, 2020

Martinelli could represent a huge bargain for Arsenal:

Martinelli, for €6m, looks one of the great modern transfer coups. Data has revolutionised scouting - but sometimes nothing beats traditional methods. The best recruitment combines the two. The story of how Arsenal found a wonderkid - and Francis Cagigao did it again. https://t.co/9bwaL8VuE6

— Jonathan Northcroft (@JNorthcroft) February 2, 2020

If Martinelli goes the Olympics in the summer it will be a brilliant experience for him, although not playing in these qualifying matches is unlikely to enhance his chances of doing so.

However, if he continues to get into the Arsenal squad and performs well in the Premier League, the teenager will surely remain in the mix for a spot at the Tokyo showpiece, provided Brazil can qualify without him.

Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno has said he wasn't aware of any player pushing for an exit from the club in the January transfer window following speculation linking captain Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng with a move to Barcelona.

The Gabon international is rated as one of the best strikers in England, and his contract at the Emirates Stadium expires at the end of the 2020-21 season.

As a result, talk about a possible switch has started to gradually intensify. When asked about players potentially wanting out of the club midseason, Leno said he didn't pick up on any great desire from his team-mates to depart, per Charles Watts of Goal:

"Of course there are many rumours and other people talk about this. But you never had the feeling that any player was thinking about another club or wanted to leave, was refusing to train or they didn’t have the mentality in the training. 

"Everybody can see we have a new manager and a new mentality. We want to build something here at Arsenal. You can see on the pitch all these rumours [don’t affect] these players—they are fighting, they are leading the team and this is the only way."

According to Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph, Barcelona put Aubameyang at the top of their list of targets in January, with Luis Suarez set to miss the majority of the campaign because of a knee injury.

After sharing the story, Law reflected on a potentially difficult decision when it comes to the Arsenal captain:

Would Arsenal fans rather sell Aubameyang this week (and reinvest the money immediately) or wait until the summer and risk him going anyway for less? That's the choice they will face with Barca set to make an inquiry. Rodrigo already lined up as Barca's first-choice alternative. https://t.co/gOOVSgIJu1

— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) January 27, 2020

However, the striker stayed at Arsenal, and new manager Mikel Arteta will be hoping his skipper can help fire the club up the Premier League table. The Gunners drew 0-0 at Burnley on Sunday, with Aubameyang missing a number of good chances:

While he was profligate against the Clarets, the forward has been lethal in his two years in north London:

Two years ago today, Aubameyang joined Arsenal

His stats don't lie 💯 pic.twitter.com/7WkmU8MtxP

— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 31, 2020

It feels as though the talk about a possible transfer is only on hold for Aubameyang, though, with speculation likely to build for as long as a contract extension remains unsigned.

Arsenal still lean heavily on the former Borussia Dortmund man, who has 14 Premier League goals this season. In 2019-20, Alexandre Lacazette has struggled to find the back of the net, and while Gabriel Martinelli is an exciting prospect, at 18, he can't be relied upon to lead the line consistently.

Come the summer, the club may have to consider selling Aubameyang for an amount below his market value because of his contract situation. It will be intriguing to see how hard Arsenal push to tie him down to fresh terms in the coming months.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was critical of the pitch at Turf Moor after the Gunners were held to a 0-0 draw at Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday.

Arteta told reporters that his team had found it tough going against the Clarets after the visitors were held to a fourth consecutive draw in the top flight.

"The conditions were difficult—the grass was this long and they didn't put any water on it, and that's not a very helpful thing to play football. I didn't water the pitch yesterday at the training ground because I expected it, but that doesn't make it any easier to play. 

"They (Burnley) do what they do really well, and you are allowed to do it so we have to react to that. In some moments it wasn't the grass—it was their quality and what they do really well, and we could not do it in the right way."

Arsenal did have good chances to get on the scoresheet during the 90 minutes. Strikers Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both went close with headers but could not hit the target.

The result means that Lacazette continued his goal drought away from home in the Premier League:

It’s been almost a year since Lacazette scored an away goal in the Premier League 🥶 pic.twitter.com/iFE2FKsEqS

— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 2, 2020

Burnley also wasted chances to secure a first Premier League win over Arsenal. Jay Rodriguez went closest with a close-range volley that hit the underside of the crossbar, as shown by Goal:

HUGE let off for Arsenal 😱

Jay Rodriguez clatters the bar and the ball bounces out 😳

How did that not go in? 🤯#BURARS pic.twitter.com/Rk8pt0s8iv

— GOAL (@goal) February 2, 2020

Burnley boss Sean Dyche said his team deserved to win the match and praised his players for their performance:

REACTION | "I thought arguably one of our best performances of the season" - Gaffer

WATCH ➡️ https://t.co/PP3hAN42Me pic.twitter.com/2L3U1GnjA0

— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) February 2, 2020

The result leaves Arsenal down in 10th place in the table on 31 points and means Arteta has managed just one Premier League win in seven games since replacing Unai Emery as manager.

Arsenal were held to their fourth Premier League draw in succession on Sunday as they tied 0-0 with Burnley at Turf Moor.  

The Gunners have now drawn 13 league matches this season and have won just twice in the English top flight since October 6.

The goalless stalemate was also their fifth consecutive draw away from home. 

Alexandre Lacazette should have put Arsenal ahead inside two minutes when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang picked him out with a cross, but the Frenchman could only head wide.

Aubameyang was similarly guilty when he dragged a shot well wide after latching onto a ball over the top from David Luiz:

What. A. Chance!

Aubameyang is clear of the Burnley defence...

📺 Watch on Sky Sports Premier League
📱 Follow #BURARS here: https://t.co/9Tpipm6dHk
📲 Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/8HRkZbKdWw

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 2, 2020

Granit Xhaka also found the Gabon striker with a ball over Burnley's defence, but Nick Pope reacted quickly to snuff out his attempted lob. Lacazette was also denied by a superb tackle from James Tarkowski.

Burnley weren't without first-half chances either, as Jay Rodriguez forced a good save from Bernd Leno and Jeff Hendrick fired high and wide after Dwight McNeil's cross found its way through to him.

It was no coincidence the Clarets grew into the contest after an injury to Bukayo Saka midway through the first half, per Goal's Charles Watts:

The injury Saka has picked up has made a big difference to Arsenal. He was the main threat in the early stages, Burnley looking much more comfortable since he's basically had to stop attacking. Lacazette's continued struggles are not helping. Arteta must be thinking about Pepe.

— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) February 2, 2020

Arsenal continued to struggle after the break, and Hendrick should have found the net on the hour-mark, but he contrived to head wide when he met another McNeil cross.

The Gunners offered little going forward, but they had another excellent opportunity to score when Aubameyang directed a Lacazette cross just wide.

At the other end, Burnley came close again through Rodriguez when he rattled the bar with a close-range volley, but Arsenal managed to clear it after it bounced down on the goal line.

OFF THE LINE!

It's Burnley's turn to go close! How does this not go in?!

📺 Watch on Sky Sports Premier League
📱 Follow #BURARS here: https://t.co/9Tpipm6dHk
📲 Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/W3SqcUHfuG

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 2, 2020

That was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock as their finishing continued to be found wanting.

              

What's Next?

Burnley travel to Southampton on February 15 after the Premier League's winter break. Arsenal host Newcastle United the following day.

                     

Arsenal completed the loan signing of Cedric Soares from Southampton on Friday.

In a statement, the Gunners announced that the full-back had moved to the Emirates Stadium until the end of the 2019-20 campaign. 

The 28-year-old said:

"It has been a while, to be fair. We were close a few years ago, so it's not the first time. It didn't happen that time but now thank God it came true. I'm super happy.
 
"Obviously it was important for me in my career to come here. Southampton gave me the opportunity to play in the Premier League, but obviously it's amazing this step, to come here and play for Arsenal. To be able to reach this point is unbelievable."

Cedric moved to the Premier League in 2016 when he joined Saints for around £5 million.

The Portugal international has since established himself as a consistently solid performer, and he has played a key role for Saints in 2019-20 as they have bounced back from their 9-0 drubbing by Leicester to move into the top half of the Premier League table.

Cedric can play on both flanks, but his most natural position is as a right-back. 

As such, he will have a big role to play at Arsenal providing competition and cover for Hector Bellerin.

The Spaniard has spent much of the last year sidelined through injury, and in his absence Ainsley Maitland-Niles has taken up most of the slack.

Maitland-Niles is much more comfortable playing further forward, though, and manager Mikel Arteta will likely be delighted to now have proper full-back cover in the shape of Cedric.