Cedric Soares will depart Arsenal as a free agent in the coming weeks after over four years at the club as one of Mikel Arteta’s first signings.
Although Cedric left a lot to be desired on the pitch, he was an experienced professional in the background of a young squad, and he is one of just a few players who has internally seen Arteta’s project come to life from the very beginning until now.
The veteran has played alongside some top players in his career, which saw him win the Euros with Portugal, and feature in Serie A for Inter Milan, but he has now praised some of his Arsenal teammates as capable of competing at the very top.
Cedric Soares praises Martin Odegaard Arsenal improvement
Speaking to Portuguese outlet 1 Para 1, Cedric praised Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard for the improvement he has shown since arriving at the club from Real Madrid.
“There are many players to highlight. Martin Odegaard, without a doubt, has evolved, becoming a more consistent player, and more capable”, he stated.
Odegaard joined Arsenal one year after Cedric, and like the former Southampton star, he arrived on an initial loan which was later made permanent.
The two played together a lot during the second half of the 2020-21 season, before Takehiro Tomiyasu came in to replace the defender.
Martin Odegaard’s consistent improvement at Arsenal
Odegaard arrived on loan from Real Madrid as a young talent who had his confidence dented after being overlooked for first-team action by Zinedine Zidane.
He took some time to settle into the team but eventually found his feet with goals against Tottenham Hotspur and Olympiacos. His best performance on loan came in a stunning fightback from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at West Ham.
There were some doubts when he made his move permanent for around £30m, and he started the season fairly slowly. However, since the start of 2022, he hit a new level of performance, which then earned him the captain’s armband.
Odegaard has thrived as the Arsenal captain, leading by example both on and off the pitch, and even this season, his performances in 2024 have perhaps been the best of his entire career as he continues to reach new heights.