Rob Holding has commited his long-term future to Arsenal after putting pen to paper on a new deal at Arsenal.
The Gunners defender was close to making his way out of the Emirates Stadium during last summer’s transfer window, however, has become a cornerstone in Mikel Arteta’s defence.
It was only thanks to the Spanish coach that the former Bolton Wanderers man remained at Arsenal after he blocked his prospective move to Newcastle United.
Who should start for Arsenal in the left-centre back role?
Pablo Mari
Gabriel Magalhaes
Holding really is enjoying a standout season with the Reds following what was an injury nightmare last campaign. The Englishman sat out the majority of the 2019/2020 season as he found himself far down the pecking order. However, he’s risen from the ashes to make his mark under Arteta.
His impact has been felt at the heart of the side’s defence with the 25-year-old making the most clearances and the fourth-most tackles.
But, it seems his biggest improvement under the former Manchester City coach has been on the ball. Prior to Arteta’s arrival, you wouldn’t have labelled the centre-half as a ball-playing defender with the ace only completing 43.9 passes per Premier League game.
That stat has risen dramatically this season to 58.9 passes per game, showing how open the £10.8m-rated star is to receiving possession in his own defensive third.
Holding isn’t the most glamorous name in the squad, however, he proves a solid, consistent and incredibly reliable, which is far more than you can say about any of the club’s other defenders.
In other news, £6.3m-rated ace proved to be an unsung hero from last week’s win over Newcastle.
