The FA have confirmed that Rob Holding and Calum Chambers have both been called-up to England’s under-21 squad for the forthcoming Euro Qualifying game against Norway next month.
Gareth Southgate played the two centre-backs alongside each other at the Toulon tournament earlier in the summer before the two renewed their partnership at domestic level when Arsenal played Liverpool on the opening day of the season.
Holding retained his place for the second game of the season against Leicester when he was paired with Laurent Koscielny.
It remains to be seen whether Chambers stays at Arsenal this season with rumours circulating that the £16 million signing from Southampton could be loaned out to gain further first team experience.
England under-21 squad
Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn (Manchester City), Jordan Pickford (Sunderland), Joe Wildsmith (Sheffield Wednesday)
Defenders: Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Ben Chilwell (Leicester City), Brendan Galloway (West Bromwich Albion, loan from Everton), Kortney Hause (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rob Holding (Arsenal), Mason Holgate (Everton), Dominic Iorfa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Matt Targett (Southampton)
Midfielders: Lewis Baker (Vitesse Arnhem, loan from Chelsea), Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea), Isaac Hayden (Newcastle United), Will Hughes (Derby County), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea), John Swift (Reading), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)
Forwards: Demarai Gray (Leicester City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Nathan Redmond (Southampton), Dominic Solanke (Chelsea), Duncan Watmore (Sunderland)
Good for them.
On an unrelated note, did anybody see the Ornstein tweet regarding Arsenals budget on transfers? I find the figure of £96 a lot less than the club can actually do, given we got over £70 million from the Premier league last season
Money money money
You have to consider that, as a company, the club has many operating costs that must be taken into account. As petty and divisive as Wenger sounded (and was, to be fair) when mentioning the 600 club employees, fans have to remember that revenue does not equal profit. For comparison, Apple’s net profit margin was only 18% of turnover in the last quarter. That’s for a company selling a premium brand that merits a markup.
Of course, none of the above is meant as a defense to the grueling inaction we’ve seen so far in the market.
If we get another defender in, send Chambers to Charlton on loan and watch him come back in beast mode
Good luck to chambs and holderz. Hope they can get some telepathic understanding which will help the Arsenal, seeing as no new defender will be coming in.
Had to down vote your comment because you called him ‘holderz’. Otherwise I agree.
Great news for the lads… I pray for injury free match…. May God grant Wenger the foresight to please the fans. Amen
NB: Just sign a new shining toy for us who cares if he is another Park or Squillacci
i disagree. when the options are sign a player for actual money that never sees the pitch or not sign anyone, i’d rather sign not sign anyone
Funny that in the England’s U-21 Squad, one player plays abroad and in the France or Belgium U-21, on average one player plays at home.
What?
The one English player abroad is only there because Vitesse has links to Chelsea.
And while I agree with your point (English players rarely venture abroad), you’re not correct about France or Belgium U21s. Youth players of major European nations tend to be playing in local clubs. You’ll be right if you’re talking about the senior team, though, since they usually get poached once they’ve matured.
It is more than “1” indeed, I used an hyperbole just to amplify my point. Compare the Belgian U-21 to England’s and note the number of young uns playing abroad (and it is an old list, I believe there are 3 more abroad now, eg de Praet is sampdoria).
https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Équipe_de_Belgique_espoirs_de_football
May opposite attack players call the Holding Chambers axis, the axis of evil.
I still completely believe in Chambers. I think that he is primarily given a very raw deal by Arsenal fans because of his ill-fated stints at right-back, but he is no more a right-back than John Terry is.
Wenger has thrown him in at the deep end too many times. It is time for him to go on loan somewhere where he can play consistently in one position, rebuild his confidence and composure out of the spotlight, and hone his abilities. I really believe that he and Holding can form a long-lasting partnership.
I think that Wenger’s long term vision is to have these guys as the future of our centre of defence. You’re dead right; Chambers has been managed badly over the last 18 months. Fingers crossed he and Holding can develop into something great for many years at the Arsenal!!
It’s only going to benefit having them playing which each other at country level too. Well done lads!!
Tony & Martin mark II?
Isn’t that Jenks with Holding or I need to clean my glasses?
Some French prick takes 8 million straight away