Arsenal have signed defender Rob Holding from Bolton Wanderers, adding another young talent to Arsene Wenger’s squad.
Holding, 20, has signed a “long-term” deal after moving for a fee reportedly worth around £2 million.
The England under-21 international becomes Arsenal’s third signing of the summer transfer window, subject to the completion of regulatory processes, joining Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka and Japan forward Takuma Asano.
But like the 21-year-old Asano, Holding is unlikely to play a major part in Wenger’s Premier League plans for the upcoming season and is more of a long-term prospect.
However, Holding is seen as one of England’s most promising defenders and was part of the youth team that won the Toulon Tournament this summer — alongside new Gunners teammate Calum Chambers.
Holding told the club’s official website: “It’s something you dream of as a kid — I can’t wait to get started.”
The centre-back, who came up through the Bolton youth ranks, was named the club’s player of the season last term but couldn’t prevent the team from being relegated from the Championship to League One.
Holding is unlikely to immediately challenge Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista at the Emirates, but could potentially form an all-English pairing with Chambers at centre-back in the future.
Chambers was brought in as a 19-year-old from Southampton two years ago in a deal reportedly worth up to £16m, but has mainly been a backup at Arsenal so far.
