Crystal Palace are reportedly on the verge of signing fringe Arsenal defender Rob Holding for a knockdown fee of just £4 million.
According to The Daily Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Crystal Palace have apparently “agreed a fee” with Arsenal for long-serving defender Rob Holding in the region of a bargain £4 million.
This comes after Sky Sports broke the news earlier in the day about the the Arsenal defender being in talks with Crystal Palace about a move to Selhurst Park. Holding was initially thought to be on his way to newly-promoted Luton Town this week. But now that Palace have entered with an offer, it seems that Holding himself would prefer a south London move.
Just hours later, Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson himself confirmed the news that he wants to sign Rob Holding from Arsenal while speaking to the press ahead of this weekend’s clash with Wolves.
The 27-year-old centre-half has never been a first-choice option under Mikel Arteta. But he still managed to make 24 appearances last season thanks to William Saliba’s injury absence in the second half of the season as the Gunners finished as Premier League runners-up.
In total, Holding has racked up over 160 outings over seven seasons at Emirates Stadium since a £2 million move from Bolton in summer 2016. With Arsenal investing heavily in their squad this summer, Holding was one of several names deemed surplus to requirements at the Emirates and made available for transfer.
Earlier in the summer, it seemed that the 6 ft 2in defender was headed for Turkey, with Besiktas holding talks over a move. However, Holding opted against the move to Turkish Super Lig and preferred the option of staying in the Premier League.
Now, aided by a knockdown fee, a raft of top-flight clubs were willing to battle it out for his signature, including Palace, Wolves, and Luton. But it appears Crystal Palace have now emerged as victors. A move across London to Selhurst Park could be the perfect next step in the England international’s career.
Although he was criticised heavily for his sluggish defending at times by Arsenal fans last season, Holding is a competent enough defender to regularly play in the Premier League. He may initially struggle to break the formidable central defensive duo of Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen. But he has surely got much more of a look-in there than he would have had at the Emirates.
