Is there a better fourth choice centre-back in the Premier League than Rob Holding? Short answer, yes - but not many.
In fact, beyond the long-serving Arsenal man, I can think of two clear choices. Manchester City’s John Stones, who is behind Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake, and Liverpool’s Joe Gomez who deputises for Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate.
Behind Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Ben White in the Arsenal team, Holding has given the Gunners some solid performances. His famous showings in two FA Cup finals alone are enough to earn the respect of most.
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However, he came on in difficult moments last season and Arsenal benefitted massively. At Anfield after going down to ten men in the League Cup semi-final and at Molineux again having gone down to ten men; in both games, Holding helped the Gunners keep clean sheets.
There is potential for Holding to move on this summer. According to Spanish media outlet Estadio Deportivo, via BirminghamLive, Aston Villa are considering to reunited Holding with former teammate Calum Chambers.
Diego Carlos' long-term ankle injury has ruled him out for the foreseeable and therefore Steven Gerrard needs support. Holding has reportedly been identified as that player.
This leaves Arsenal in a predicament because as mentioned, Holding gives the Arsenal defence great depth. It would be difficult to find a player who is willing, as Holding seemingly is, to be a fourth-choice centre-half at a club like Arsenal who can give the performances he’s shown to put in.
With four competitions to fight for this season, having Holding could prove crucial. At the same time, he is not without his faults and the value he holds now may not be the same in a year’s time.
He has two years left on his current deal with an option for a further season. Do Arsenal risk repeating the mistake they made with Ainsley Maitland-Niles who was courted by Wolves with a serious offer but ultimately was kept at the club and now Arsenal are struggling to find a suitor for him?
It would, of course, depend on what Aston Villa offered but the potential disruption to the squad and then the need to find a replacement may not be worth what they put up. That said, some offers are too good to turn down and with the versatile Takehiro Tomiyasu in the squad, there’s potential for the club to have enough internal cover.
Youth product Reuell Walters impressed on the US tour but is currently injured and the thought of throwing him into the deep end in Premier League action already is a scary one.
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