Sources: Wolves and Crystal Palace race to sign Arsenal star Rob Holding
Arsenal defender Rob Holding is a target for Wolves, Crystal Palace and Real Betis before the close of the transfer window, sources have told Football Insider.
Holding, 27, is well down the pecking order at Arsenal and the Gunners have told him he can leave on a permanent deal before Friday’s transfer deadline.
Premier League duo Wolves and Palace have registered their interest in Holding, while Spanish outfit Betis are also in pursuit.
Arsenal are looking to balance the books and trim the squad before the transfer window closes.
Holding is one of several players who could depart, and the Gunners would prefer a sale to a loan deal.
The centre-back has entered the final year of his contract at the Emirates after joining from Bolton Wanderers in a £2m move in 2016.
Holding has made 162 appearances during his time at the club and has netted five goals in those outings.
But following the arrivals of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, Holding has fallen out of favour and has been resigned to the bench in recent seasons.
The defender was handed just 17 minutes of action before Saliba’s injury last term.
Following his teammate’s back injury, Holding played six consecutive 90-minute matches at centre-back.
Earlier this summer (21 May), Football Insider revealed that the Gunners were willing to listen to offers for the defender.
The Gunners have been willing to move on Holding for the duration of the window but he has remained at the Emirates into the start of the season.
‘Out of order’: Pundit says he wouldn’t sign ‘unstoppable’ £51m player for Man City if he was Pep now
Ally McCoist has said that if he was Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, he would have pulled the plug on signing Matheus Nunes.
Speaking on talkSPORT, the well-liked pundit had this opinion after it was reported on Monday that the Wolves midfielder, who City have bid £51.4 million for has now stopped training as he has gone on strike.
Ally McCoist slammed Matheus Nunes and questioned whether Pep Guardiola should even consider bringing him in at Manchester City anymore.
Ally McCoist says if he was Pep Guardiola, he would not sign Matheus Nunes at Manchester City after strike revelation
Branded as ‘unstoppable’ by journalist Zach Lowy, it was claimed on Tuesday that the next bid from the treble-winners would likely seal the 25-year-old’s move to the Etihad Stadium.
But in case the transfer breaks down, Nunes will only be reintegrated into the squad after the window closes after facing disciplinary action from Wolves for his actions.
Ally McCoist was incensed upon discovering Matheus Nunes’ decision to go on strike in order to force a move to Manchester City to the extent where he would perhaps not sign him if he was Pep Guardiola.
“I think Nunes is out of order.”
“My problem is with people like Nunes [that] he shouldn’t have signed a contract if he wanted to move. He should’ve signed for 12 months or he should’ve signed for 18 months. That’s my point. If you’re happy to sign the contract and take the dough, you should be happy to see the contract out. Of course, I get it. I’d be wanting to go to Manchester City.”
“We all would. But the fact of the matter is when you’re offered a contract, some of them just look at the money and go, ‘that’s great. That’ll do for me.’ You don’t look at the time period.”
Ally McCoist wondered how he would react if he was Pep Guardiola and he had heard this revelation about Manchester City target Matheus Nunes.
“If I’m Pep, I say to myself, ‘do I want someone who is willing to go on strike and not honour a contract?’ Or is he doing something…I’m not saying for a minute he’s been told to do that but he’s decided to do it. I just think if you’re a coach or a manager, or somebody at a club, you want good people.”
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