Arsenal’s move for Rob Holding could pay benefit in years to come.
Bolton’s Rob Holding in action with Eastleigh’s Kaid Mohamed
Arsenal are on the verge of signing Bolton defender Rob Holding, with the Guardian reporting this week a £2m deal is close.
Holding is reported to have already undertaken a medical, and is closing in on sealing the dream move from the League One club.
Bolton Wanderers Rob Holding and Leeds United’s Mirco Antenucci
Holding is just 20-years-old, and Arsenal supporters keen to see the club splash out on big names cannot be blamed for feeling a little underwhelmed.
Yet the deal is not one which should be judged on what is or is not going on around it with respect to Arsenal’s other transfer activity, and nor should it be after just 12 months.
Holding is a player who Arsenal are hoping will develop into a player capable of one day succeeding Per Mertesacker or Gabriel Paulista at the back, but in typical Arsene Wenger fashion, he does not want a big name signed who will shove either out of the way just yet.
He is a player Bolton fans rate highly, with one lauding his ‘amazing potential’ and comparing him to Everton’s John Stones.
Like Holding, Stones was signed from a League One club, and the soon-to-be Arsenal star will hope he can follow him into the England line up.
Stones is now valued in the region of £40 million, and while debate can rage all day as to whether that is justified or not, Arsenal evidently feel Holding is a player worth taking a gamble on at a fraction of the price.
Holding is comfortable playing the ball out of defence rather than simply lumping it forward, and is likely to be a player Arsene Wenger will enjoy working with.
How many chances he will get at Arsenal this upcoming season remains unclear, but in the long run he could prove to be an astute signing.
Bolton Wanderers’ Rob Holding celebrates with David Wheater at full time
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