The Athletic‘s David Ornstein has recently revealed that Newcastle United are leading the chase to sign Arsenal defender Rob Holding on loan this summer. It is understood that there has been a lot of interest in the English centre-back with the Magpies winning the race for his signature in this off-season (via The Athletic‘s David Ornstein).
Excl: Newcastle close to signing Rob Holding from Arsenal on season loan. Lot of interest in 24yo CB but #NUFC winning race. Quarantine/injuries mean set to play #CommunityShield before finalising move. Unlikely to include option to buy @TheAthleticUK #AFC https://t.co/ogYErZwTkS
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 29, 2020
Holding’s Lacklustre Season At The English Capital
The Stalybridge-born talent was a part of Mikel Arteta’s back three that started in the 2020 FA Community Shield win over Liverpool last weekend. He produced a solid display at the back and did enough to keep Sadio Mane quiet throughout the 90 minutes.
However, Holding endured a frustrating season at the Emirates Stadium in the last term as he struggled to give a good account of himself on the field. The 24-year-old featured in 18 matches for the North London outfit in the previous campaign and has got one goal and three yellow cards to his name across all competitions.
The five-time England U-21 international struggled to perform at a consistent level as evident from his average of 0.5 tackles, 0.6 key passes and 4.5 clearances per game in the Premier League and the UEFA Europa League last season. He distributed the ball exceptionally well out from the back after completing 88.3% of his attempted passes in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).
What Will The English Defensive Ace Add To Steve Bruce’s Side?
When playing with confidence, Holding can be a dominant presence inside his half as he possesses the strength to dominate the aerial battle with the opposition attackers. He is a decent tackler but is more renowned for his ‘no-nonsense’ style of defending which explains why he made over five clearances in every 90 minutes of league football last season.
The English centre-half is usually comfortable when playing the ball out from the back, so he might fancy his chances of flourishing in Arteta’s system next season. However, the Gunners could benefit from sending him away on loan to a club like Newcastle so that the player can get some confidence back as he fights to stay relevant at the highest level.
Will Signing Holding On Loan Be A Good Option For The Magpies This Summer?
Taking a gamble on someone like Holding on loan seems like a shrewd piece of business for Newcastle as they try to rebuild their squad in a limited budget for the upcoming campaign. He will bolster the depth of Steve Bruce’s squad and might even help the Magpies secure a mid-table finish in the Premier League next season.
Holding will benefit from getting a regular run of games under his belt. Still, he won’t find competition easy at St. James’ Park as he will be greeted by the likes of Fabian Schar, Federico Fernandez, Jamaal Lascelles and Florian Lejeune. However, there is no denying that the English centre-back will be an excellent option for the Tyneside outfit even if it is only on a season-long loan deal.
