{"id":375832,"date":"2019-03-05T13:40:05","date_gmt":"2019-03-05T18:40:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonfootball.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=375832"},"modified":"2019-03-05T13:40:05","modified_gmt":"2019-03-05T18:40:05","slug":"arsenal-talks-complete-deal-rob-holding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2019\/03\/05\/arsenal-talks-complete-deal-rob-holding\/","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal in Talks to Complete Deal for 23-Year-Old Rob Holding"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to a report from the\u00a0Mirror<\/a>, Unai Emery is willing to reward a young defender with a new deal despite his long-term injury. The 23-year-old Englishman has not seen the pitch since last December due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament\u00a0injury.<\/p>\n

Who is Rob Holding<\/a>?<\/h1>\n

Rob Holding<\/a> started his senior club career at Bolton Wanderers.\u00a0He won Bolton’s player of the year award for the 2015\/16 season. From there on, it was just a matter of time for Arsenal to find his talent and employ his services ahead of other leading top-flight contenders. Soon after the Emirates welcomed him in 2016 and he went on to score his first goal for Arsenal<\/a> against\u00a0BATE Borisov in Europa League.<\/p>\n

Patience is the key for any youngster. You cannot expect to be in the starting lineup instantly, especially if you are at a top club like Arsenal. Holding understood this quite well and waited on the bench for his call without any complaints for almost an entire season.<\/p>\n

The youngster got his much-awaited chance to make an impact following injuries to centre-backs Per Mertesacker<\/a> and Gabriel Paulista<\/a>. Holding utilised the opportunity and subsequently became a regular starter for the Gunners.<\/p>\n

Rob Holding’s Calling<\/h2>\n

On 4 May 2018,\u00a0Laurent Koscielny<\/a>\u00a0had a severe injury during the clash between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid. His Achilles tendon got ruptured which caused him to miss out on about 21 games for the Gunners.<\/p>\n

Emery brought Sokratis Papastathopoulos<\/a> as a sudden\u00a0cure for the defence\u00a0and alongside him, Holding stepped up for his team in the absence of his captain. He made a stellar partnership with\u00a0Sokratis\u00a0and Shkodran Mustafi<\/a>\u00a0at the back in a back three\u00a0thus providing his worth to his new manager as well.<\/p>\n

According to the report, Arsenal under Unai Emery are all set to reward the progress and determination displayed by the young Englishman even through his road to recovery and they intend to reflect his standing in the team on his contract as well.<\/p>\n

The Gunners didn’t lose a single match with the 23-year-old defender on the pitch. He was very crucial on their 22-match unbeaten streak. Hence it makes complete sense for the club to tie down a young future prospect with a contract as early as possible before attracting interests from elite clubs.<\/p>\n

New Terms at Emirates?<\/h2>\n

Despite the fact that\u00a0Arsenal had already extended terms with Rob Holding\u00a0as early as back in May last year tying him to the Emirates till 2023, Arsenal are all set to offer revised terms in a bid to justify his contribution to the team and this will surely provide a much-needed boost to the youngster’s rehabilitation which is set to keep him out until September this year.<\/p>\n

The departure of\u00a0Aaron Ramsey<\/a>\u00a0and exclusion of\u00a0Mesut Ozil<\/a>\u00a0from the team on a consistent basis puts the future of the\u00a0club and its ambitions on a dicey path.<\/p>\n

However going by the recent work done behind the scenes, it’s understandable how Emery wants a group of young people with will power and teamwork to function together; not to build a one-man team centred around star players in order to simply justify their salaries.<\/p>\n

The new Holding deal is just a beginning for major things to come in future at Emirates and we can only wait in anticipation.<\/p>\n

Main Photo
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>