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Confirmed: Defender joins Arsenal on long-term contract

By on July 22, 2016

Arsenal have announced the signing of Rob Holding on Arsenal.com with the defender joining from Bolton Wanderers on a long-term contract.

Holding has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates in recent weeks after Arsene Wenger sent his scouts to watch the young defender in action on several occasions last season.

We’ve been in lengthy negotiations with Bolton this summer but a deal has finally been agreed and the club announced on Arsenal.com a short time ago that Holding has joined on a long-term deal.

As usual, the official line is the 20-year-old has joined for an ‘undisclosed fee’ but the BBC claim we’ve paid Bolton around £2m, which sounds like a very good deal for an England under-21 international.

Holding enjoyed an excellent 2015/16 campaign after making 30 appearances for the Trotters during his first full season as a senior professional and he earned a place in the England U-21 squad, helping them to victory at the Toulon tournament this summer.

The youngster is predominantly a centre-back but he’s equally capable of playing at full-back so it will be interesting to see where Wenger plans to play him at Arsenal.

Holding’s arrival is likely to see Calum Chambers head out on loan with the defender linked with a return to former club Southampton this summer.