Arsenal: Mikel Arteta’s improved defender close to extending his contract
By Kian Long
Arsenal fans will be glad to see this bit of news
There isn’t much for Arsenal fans to be positive about at this stage of the year. They are in terrible form and there were jokes only recently about the club fighting relegation. However, if their two recent matches are anything to go by, then Mikel Arteta is beginning to turn things around again. They just need to keep up the momentum.
The momentum they have gathered has been largely helped by the defence acting as a collective, although there have been individual moments of brilliance in Arteta’s backline. A player that is getting his fair share of minutes on the pitch is Rob Holding.
This has largely been down to the illness of Gabriel Magalhaes, who is Arteta’s first choice in the backline. However, this should not take away from Holding’s performances. The Englishman has been a solid member of Arsenal’s XI of late and it would be unjust to take him out of the team at this stage.
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Holding is currently under contract until 2023, so there is no anxiety from Arsenal’s point of view in this regard. However, with some English clubs keen to sign the 25-year-old, even if only on loan, the Gunners want to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium.
According to a new report from the Telegraph, the Gunners are close to doing this. It’s thought that Holding is currently holding (if you pardon the pun) talks with the Arsenal board over an extension and pay-rise on his current deal.
You can’t say that this is not earned, either. Holding has stuck loyal to the Gunners since he first arrived from Bolton and even with Calum Chambers returning from his lengthy injury, it still looks like Holding is the favoured choice as far as Arteta is concerned.
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Do you think Arsenal will extend Holding’s current contract?