Arsenal are on the verge of making a £10 million bid for Bolton Wanderers centre-back Rob Holding who has been voted the Club’s Player of the Year by the club’s fans.
The deal was revealed by Marc Iles on his Twitter account. The reporter is a Bolton Wanderers Reporter and he pointed out that it is only a matter of time before each club reach a consensus on the player.
Though Bolton ended the season in relegation, the club’s academy graduate is one of the few shinning lights in a disastrous season that saw the once Premier League team relegated to the League One even before the last game of the Championship.
Holding is only 20, and made his debut in August going on to become one of the best Championship defenders this season. Holding has made 30 appearances for the North West club in all competitions including 26 in the Championship. It is believed Holding is the biggest player that has played for the club since the days of Gary Cahill who moved to Chelsea in 2012 winter.
Bolton will find it difficult to resist offers for the centre-back and will gladly sell to balance their financial books as they slip to the third tier of English football. Arsenal on the offer hand are in dire need of a centre back as Gabriel hasn’t impressed when given the chance and Petr Mertersacker seems to be aging fast.
If he joins Arsenal, he will likely be Per Mertesacker’s long term replacement at the Emirates stadium. Mertesacker who turns 32 in September will be out of contract in June 2017 and from all indication, Wenger is reluctant to give the world cup winner another contract extension.
