Defender tells Arsenal fans ‘he is at the Emirates for the long haul’ after agreeing latest deal

Rob Holding has told the Arsenal fans that he is at the club for the long haul after agreeing a new contract at the club.

Since joining the Arsenal from Bolton Wanderers in July 2016, Holding has made 96 first-team appearances, winning two FA Cups along the way.

The highlight of Holdings’ first season was a superb performance in the 2017 FA Cup final, with his commanding display alongside Per Mertesacker ensuring we won the trophy with a 2-1 win over Chelsea.

This season has seen the player step up couple of levels and put in some brilliant performances that has firmly established Holding as one of the main squad members that Mikel Arteta now has available to him.

And after the deal, he has told that fans he is looking to stay at the Emirates for the long haul: “I’ve survived each round (of signings),” he told the Telegraph.

“It’s only natural for a footballer to see someone sign for your club in your position and doubt whether you are wanted or if you are going to be playing. But I don’t look at it and think I am giving up because we signed a new defender.

“I am up for a fight. If I have put 100 per cent of the best I can be into it, and that guy still plays over me, then I’ll hold my hands up and say OK, maybe he is better than me. But I know I can look myself in the mirror that night and say I gave my best that day.”

The fact is that Arsenal have signed many many central defenders in the past few windows shows that there is a real concern over the quality of that defence, but this deal for Holding is one that he fully deserves

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