Arsenal fans will see Cedric Soares on the Arsenal bench until the end of the season, with the Portuguese full-back rejecting a January move to Benfica in favour of securing a bigger financial reward elsewhere.

While a transfer seemed likely for the 32-year-old, whose contract expires in June, Cedric reportedly turned down offers from both Turkish clubs and Portuguese giants Benfica due to their proposed wages falling short of his expectations.

Despite interest from Galatasaray and exploratory talks with Benfica, Cedric reportedly deemed both options insufficient, aiming for a “good contract in financial terms” upon his summer departure, according to Portuguese outlet, Record.

Sources claim Benfica sought an affordable backup for their current right-back, Alexander Bah, while Galatasaray aimed to fill the void left by Sacha Boey‘s departure to Bayern Munich.

But Cedric’s wage demands proved a stumbling block for both clubs. He currently earns between £100k and £120kpw, with the number varying depending on where you read.

While Cedric seems content to finish the season with Arsenal, the summer transfer window promises a plethora of potential destinations. Besiktas, Villarreal, and Trabzonspor have all been linked, and with his contract expiring, Cedric will hold significant leverage in any negotiation.

Cedric has seen limited playing time across various competitions for Arsenal this season, and, in the Premier League, he hasn’t made a single appearance.

He saw some action in the Champions League, playing just 62 minutes in one match.

The FA Cup also offered no starts, with Cedric sitting the competition out entirely, while he picked up just three minutes in teh League Cup.

That means, this season, Cedric has played a total of 65 minutes for the first team with 69 coming for the u21s in the EFL Trophy.

In total, Cedric has made 61 appearances for Arsenal, averaging 67 minutes per game.