According to Fabrizio Romano, Rob Holding is the subject of interest from clubs in Spain and is expected to leave Arsenal before the end of the transfer window on Friday.
Despite Jurrien Timber being ruled out for the season, the 27-year-old still faces stiff competition from Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Jakub Kiwior for game time in the centre of Mikel Arteta’s defence.
While Holding remains a very popular member of the dressing room, it seems all parties have accepted that the time is right to part ways.
Rob Holding, still expected to leave Arsenal in the final days of the transfer window. There are discussions now ongoing to make it happen 🔴⚪️ #AFC
Understand there are also Spanish clubs asking for conditions of Holding deal. pic.twitter.com/GC37IkBX7I
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 28, 2023
Holding has made 162 appearances for Arsenal since joining from Bolton Wanderers in 2016. Surprisingly, given his experience, very few suitors have made the football gossip columns.
We know Besiktas made a half-hearted approach earlier in the month and there have been some tenuous links with Celtic.
Following Kieran Tierney to Spain would definitely be an interesting move.
Elsewhere, it looks like Arsenal might have to wait a little longer for a sell-on clause in Matteo Guendouzi’s contract to be activated. The France international is set to move to Lazio this summer but it’ll initially be a loan with an obligation to buy. Romano reports that the deal will kick in next summer and will be worth up to €17 million.
Lazio are prepared to complete Mattéo Guendouzi deal later today. Agreement in place for €1m loan fee, €12m fixed fee on obligation to buy and €5m easy add-ons ⚪️🔵
OM already gave the green light, just waiting to iron out final details on personal terms.
Almost there ⏳ pic.twitter.com/1i4au2Rwl4
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 28, 2023
So Arsenal is not Holding on till another defender is signed?
It might Rob us of defensive cover!
Worth Holding onto then
Apparently Holding out only for the right fee😀
Konstantinos Mavropa-no-s, it looks like he will be leaving Sokratis Papastathopolo-us
god damn it that’s not even how you spell sokratis’ surname, comment cancelled everybody go home
yes
like Arteta’s new formation this didn’t work, but I applaud both of you for the sheer ambition
We’re simply “tinkering” with new puns early in the season.
Holding out for Takehiro? (Sorry, an old one, and pilfered from someone wittier than I.)
After Tierney, that’s another move that makes sense from a sporting point of view, but makes me feel like a bit of the Arsenal spirit is going away.
Ruthlessness indeed…
News are ESR is to be kicked soon as well. That would be the one to truly fade the spirit.
If MA has bought Havertz and put Kai and Vieira ahead of ESR what he’s supposed to do
He would be good in a low blocking defence, where the ball is not distributed from defence to attack. He will excell in a low blocking route one hoof the ball upfield side. !ike Bolton of old.
This is true. Also, the Bolton of old would not challenge for the title today.
To be fair, they’d didn’t challenge for the title then either.
Their sole purpose was to fuck up the title run of someone else by kicking lumps off them.
Hope he gets into a Spanish team in European competition. He’s good enough to play at that level. Injuries robbed him of a chance to get a decent move in England in the past. I really do wish him well.
Does he really face competition from Gabriel though, considering Arteta’s mystery stance on the Brazilian.
Hope he at least leaves us with a few locks of his beautiful hair, which we will have framed and hang at the entrance to Colney as a symbol of the growth and renewal that is always possible at Arsenal Football Club
That’s a great plug, Ebo.
Making fun of the follicly challenged?
Keratinous behaviour.
I did not weave any such criticism into my comment. I myself wear a top hat to hide a patch that’s missing sesame seeds.
I don’t get why teams like Sheffield, Nottingham or Luton aren’t trying to sign Holding
May have been Holding out for the last minute scramble to gain some advantage in negotiations.
Maybe they are and he’d rather go and play abroad, expand his horizons and not have to play against us twice every year
Once you get elite club money it’s hard for anyone to match I suppose.
When fans blame Tier 2 players for our inability to win the league, I say that they should blame Tier 1 who get their salaries considerably increased at contract renewal or transfer.
would you rather go live and work in sheffield, luton, nottingham OR perhaps mallorca
Especially considering West Ham tried to buy Maguire for 30m. Holding is younger, costs a quarter (both in transfer fee and in wages) and I don’t even think there’s much between them in terms of quality, actually on the ball our Rob is better.
what are the interested in holding? hands? a package? a delicious bag of jamon ruffle?
Arteta Holding out for a hero…
News emerging, we want to sell ESR.
News emerging from where? Another click-bait site?
It makes sense I’m afraid. We’ve bought Vieira Troussard and Havertz in the past year, add in Martinelli and a new contract for Nelson who got on in front of him a few times last season and it’s hard to see him getting many minutes.
You mean AFTV? lol
I don’t think so.
https://www.eurosport.com/football/transfers/2023-2024/harry-maguire-move-to-west-ham-back-on-as-man-utd-draw-up-defender-shortlist-paper-round_sto9766209/story.shtml
But did you read it though? Eurosport quoted “The Express” which in turn is implying that because ESR and Gabriel are not getting the game time that they need, they may decide to leave as they have suitors in the PL.
The Express never make stuff up surely
No we don’t.
This is an absolute pile of wank perpetrated by click bait knob heads after a fast buck from gullible idiots.
I’m surprised at Robbie on AFTV even bothering with it. As fake news goes, it’s got April 1st stamped all over it.
Robbie from aftv is all over it because it’s another chance to shitstir, he’ll be loving it. Clicks, clicks, money, money.
And here’s the thing. Robbie probably no more believes in this shit than you or I do; he’s actually a very intelligent guy. But, such is the moronic state of our ‘global’ fan base nowadays, he’ll also know – as a businessman – that there’s money to be made from the ignorance and downright stupidity of these claybrains believing these rumours. Everyone is allowed a big squad except Arsenal, apparently. Beyond 1-11 everyone wants to/has to leave. It’s been driven by the media every time we have a successful looking squad on our hands; the jealous cunts (Hello Daily Fucking… Read more »
If we sell ESR that will be a fkn disgrace.
That would have been a Sprsy move. Can’t stand that.
It’s not going to happen.
Lots of reports that Arsenal are willing to sell ESR. Along with the loan of Tierney, this would be batsh1t crazy from Arteta but I guess he has to protect the players he’s bought against any genuine competition from players already at the club. Those with long memories will remember Thatcher’s TINA, “there is no alternative”. Looks like it might be Arteta’s strategy too. If ESR does go to Chelsea and Harvetz turns out to be as big a flop as Arteta’s other Chelsea dud Willian, I think a lot of Arsenal fans are going to hit the roof. Rightly… Read more »
You wrote this comment 2 months too early.
Wish Rob all the best if this goes through.
Off topic, but I am so DONE already with our decent squad players being linked with moves away just because they haven’t started three games. First it’s Gabriel and now ESR being ‘tipped’ by ‘experts’ to go to Chelsea. FFS. Three fucking games in and everyone suddenly forgets Arsenal now require a large squad – not least half of its fanbase.
Seriously, give me strength and take me back to those halcyon days on the North Bank Highbury, before the fucking internet and the click bait brain drain.
They are interested in holding what?
If Gabriel can’t get into the starting line-up what chances does RH have … Good luck to him!! We’ll always have that FA cup final!
Surely it’s Real Madrid. Enjoy the sunshine, Rob! You’ll be missed 🙁
Holding out for a Takahiro!
I also saw rumours of Fulham and Luton being interested in Holding. We could end up with a decent fee for him yet. £10million and upwards would be very reasonable for an experienced premier league defender.
It looks like we may rely a lot more on White at CB this season, injuries permitting.
If he can go on and get regular game time i think he’s done well for us enough to earn it. I don’t think there is a player that starts up his carrier expecting to spend his life as a reserve. All the best to him Meanwhile, am not sold out on the 65M and allegedly currently highest paid Havertz.(Incidentally every time we give a player stupendous money they flop). Being played out of position at Chelsea is allegedly the excuse for his poor performance there but, what if that’s just an excuse? Why exactly did we go out and… Read more »