Arsenal face a busy transfer deadline day as they aim to clear out a number of players, and they have now been handed a boost, as a new side have now come in for one of the fringe options in the squad.
Crystal Palace have now reportedly registered their interest in defender Rob Holding, and are now the frontrunners to sign the 27-year-old.
A report from the Daily Mail has confirmed that Roy Hodgson’s side are now the “leading contenders” for the Englishman’s signature, and they are confident of getting a deal done before the deadline.
Holding has been linked to a number of sides in Spain in the last few days, and Crystal Palace’s interest may perhaps drive any potential transfer fee up.
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Arsenal rejected an offer of around £2m for Holding from Besiktas earlier in the window, and there may be hope that they can receive a good fee for the centre-back, who has one year left on his deal with an optional extension.
Not in the plans
It became clear that Holding was not a suitable option, even as a backup, in this Arsenal side, when he stepped in to try and cover for William Saliba last season, following the Frenchman’s injury.
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Arsenal were unable to play in their usual high line, and Holding’s reduced ability on the ball compared to Saliba saw Mikel Arteta’s side collapse in the title race, throwing away a number of leads as they could not sustain pressure.
Although Arsenal are currently short of defenders, Holding cannot be considered an option for this season. Whilst he is not a bad defender in a deeper line, he is not the right fit for a side that aims to dominate possession, and he may actually thrive at Crystal Palace given their style of play.