Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl confirms Arsenal target Cedric Soares can leave

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed Arsenal target Cedric Soares will be allowed to leave ahead of the January transfer deadline after bringing in full-back Kyle Walker-Peters on loan.

Portuguese defender Soares, currently recovering from a knee problem, is out of contract in the summer.

Asked if the arrival of Walker-Peters from Tottenham meant Soares was now likely to leave, Hasenhuttl said: "From our side, yes. The fact is that he's out of contract in the summer."

The Southampton manager told a press conference broadcast by the club: "Sometimes things change quickly in football.

"Then for the club and for him, it is the best that we say 'okay, if you want to leave, you have only two or three more months (of) contract, then it's better to go' and we are concentrating on developing other players."

Standard Sport understands that Arsenal will also cover the full cost of Soares’ £65,000-a-week wages for the rest of the season and, with various add-ons, the total outlay for the deal could reach around £3m.