Why Burnley must go all out to secure a loan deal for Arsenal defender Rob Holding
Burnley are reportedly interested in securing a loan deal for Arsenal centre-back Rob Holding. The youngster has endured a mixed time at the North London side ever since he joined them from the Bolton Wanderers back in 2016. He has shown brief glimpses of quality now and then but in a couple of performances this season, he earned the ire of a lot of Arsenal fans due to his lacklustre and ineffective displays.
That said, there is no doubting his potential and a loan move to Turf Moor could work out in his favour. However, it remains to be seen if the Gunners are willing to let him leave albeit temporarily. If he left, Arsene Wenger’s options would be limited to Per Mertesacker, Shkodran Mustafi, Laurent Koscielny and Calum Chambers.
Back when Arsene deployed a 3-4-3, it might not have been possible for him to let Holding go but now that the manager is using a four-man back line, there may be chances of the club agreeing to let the 22-year-old leave for the rest of the season.
If the Gunners manage to sign Jonny Evans from West Brom, there will be all the more reason for them to allow Holding to leave. And that will definitely come as good news for the Clarets. Sean Dyche is understandably keen on improving his forces at the back to ensure Burnley ends the season as strongly as they started.
Currently sitting at 8th place, Burnley are on par with 7th-placed Leicester City in terms of points but if they are to secure an ambitious top-6 finish, a player like Holding could truly benefit them.
Not to mention, a loan deal could also provide scope for Holding to play regularly. Although he has appeared sporadically for the Gunners, he needs to play more often to boost his development and that is possible with Burnley.
James Tarkowski and Ben Mee have been prolific for the Clarets but Dyche has been heavily reliant on them throughout the season. To have an able and solid back-up like Holding could allow Dyche to rotate the squad and make changes based on circumstances.
Additionally, a player like Holding could thrive in a set-up like Burnley’s and the prospect of helping them secure a 6th-place finish could motivate him to put in some solid displays. He is an extremely skilled youngster and perhaps moving to Turf Moor for the rest of the season could unlock his potential.
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