Newcastle United are keen on signing Arsenal defender Rob Holding ahead of the 2020-21 season. Holding has been with the Gunners for four seasons, having joined from Bolton Wanderers in 2016.
As per Daily Mail, the Magpies want to bring the 24-year-old central defender on loan. The move could happen if Arsenal sign Lille centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes. Newcastle United will have competition from Leeds United, who are also reportedly interested in signing Rob Holding.
The Englishman has made 78 appearances for the north London side and has won two FA Cups with them. His current deal with the club expires in 2023.
Rob Holding: Excellent move for the Magpies?
Rob Holding was a bargain buy for the Gunners in 2016, signed by then Gunners manager Arsene Wenger for just £2 million. Holding came in as a player for the future, but his progress hasn’t been on expected lines and even though he has shown promise on more than a number of occasions, the step-up to being a first-choice centre-back for Arsenal is proving to be slightly out of his grasp.
The Englishman has quite a bit of experience in the Premier League, as well as national team experience, featuring 5 times for the England national team.
Holding could benefit from a loan move to a club like Newcastle United and perhaps return to the Gunners after getting consistent game time with the Magpies. The English defender is decent in the air and reads the game well from the back. Holding is not the quickest of players and hence his ability to gauge what is happening ahead of him is vital.
His main strength is his passing ability from the back. A calm and composed player, Rob Holding plays short passes from the back to keep possession and build attacks. He also likes to bring the ball out of the back, preferring not to lump the ball out of danger.
Newcastle United would become a stronger side with a defender like Holding, who could blossom alongside Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles, who is quicker, likes to clear balls from danger, and nip in to make vital interceptions. The Magpies currently have quite a few options at the back apart from Lascelles, with the likes of Ciaran Clark, Fabian Schar, Paul Dummett, Federico Fernandez and Florian Lejeune, all vying for game time.
Holding is an upgrade on the current options that manager Steve Bruce has. And with the club looking to address their issues from last season, could raise money by selling a couple of players and bolster their resources in the advanced areas of the pitch.
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