Arsenal agree deal for Premier League defender?

Arsenal have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Cedric Soares on loan from fellow Premier League side Southampton.

The Portuguese's contract expires at the end of the season and The Athletic's David Ornstein has confirmed that the Gunners have agreed to sign him on loan for the campaign for £5m while covering his wages.

Soares is currently on the sidelines with a knee ligament injury but he is expected to return to action after the mid-season break, given manager Ralph Hasenhüttl recently revealed that he could be sidelined for another three weeks.

Soares' present deal with the Saints is scheduled to expire at the end of the campaign and the Gunners would definitely be in pole position to sign him on a free transfer, should his loan move turn to be successful.

The Euro 2016 winner is likely to compete with Hector Bellerin for the right-back position but he could equally provide competition for the left-back spot, where he is more than capable of playing.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is currently regarded as the second-choice right-back behind Bellerin but the Englishman could slot in a midfield role in the future, which he is more comfortable with.