The Portuguese fullback, whose Southampton contract expires at the end of the campaign, has made 138 appearances since joining the south coast club in 2015.

The 28-year-old becomes Arsenal’s second signing in the January transfer window following the arrival of Spanish defender Pablo Mari on loan from Flamengo.

“Cedric is a defender with good experience of the Premier League, and of course at an international level,” Arsenal’s technical director Edu told the club website.

“He is another strong addition to our defensive unit who will provide our squad with quality.

“I know he is a player who plays with absolute full commitment and energy. We are all looking forward to going into the last stages of the season with Cedric as part of the club.”

Cedric’s switch to Arsenal comes after Kyle Walker-Peters moved to Southampton on loan from Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the campaign.