Everton and Arsenal send scouts to watch Sporting Lisbon’s Cedric Soares

Scouts from Everton and Arsenal were dispatched to Sporting Lisbon’s game against Vitoria de Guimaraes to watch right-back Cedric Soares in action, according to reports.

The 23-year-old right-back is a long-term target for the Toffees. They have been tracking the Portugal international since David Moyes’ time at Goodison Park.

Interest from the Gunners is a newer development, with rumours that they were keeping tabs on Cedric only breaking last month.

Portuguese newspaper A Bola reports that both of the Premier League sides were in the crowd for Sporting’s 3-0 defeat at Vitoria last weekend and claims that the full-back was the man they were watching closely.

The Sporting Lisbon youth team graduate is currently in contract talks with the Portuguese side. His agent has said that other clubs are tracking him closely, but insists his client is focused on Sporting.

Arsenal were also thought to be keeping tabs on midfielder William Carvalho. Read more about that here.