Rob Holding, Arsenal Agree on New Long-Term Contract

Arsenal defender Rob Holding has penned a new long-term contract at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners confirmed the news on their official website on Tuesday. Holding, 22, previously had a deal that was set to run to 2020.

The Englishman joined Arsenal from Bolton Wanderers in July 2016 for a fee of around £2 million.

He has yet to nail down a regular first-team spot at the Emirates, starting only 16 Premier League games over the last two seasons.

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However, Holding is still young and inexperienced, and the fact that he has been granted a new deal is likely a recognition from the Gunners that he will have a role to play at the club in the future.

With Arsene Wenger set to step down from the manager's role at Arsenal at the end of the season, arguably every position will be up for grabs under new leadership from next term.

Per Mertesacker is retiring at the end of 2017-18, and the 32-year-old Laurent Koscielny is increasingly ineffective, so Holding could well have an opportunity to claim a place in the first team next season.