CRYSTAL PALACE have agreed a £4million fee for Arsenal centre-half Rob Holding.
Now the 27-year-old defender must decide whether to accept a permanent move to Selhurst Park or join Sevilla on loan for a year.
GettyRob Holding is closing on a transfer to Crystal Palace[/caption]
Holding is currently Arsenal’s longest-serving player after joining the club from Bolton for £2m in 2016 and was a key member of Mikel Arteta’s leadership group last season.
But he is way down the Emirates pecking order and Arteta doesn’t want to stand in his way of making a fresh start with a new club.
Speculation over his future has been rampant this week.
Reports on Wednesday claimed he was being eyed up for a sensational move to Spain, with La Liga sides Sevilla and Mallorca both making approaches.
However, today Holding’s pathway could see him remain in London, switching north for Arsenal‘s historical home in south.
Albert Sambi Lokonga is also leaving in a loan move to Luton after Flo Balogun, Kieran Tierney and Nuno Tavares all left earlier in the week.
Arteta said: “I don’t expect anyone else to come in this window and we’re working to find the best possible solutions for some players leaving us.
“The players are happy and the club have done some good business as well.
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“We didn’t have space in our squad for Flo to have the minutes he needed and he wanted the chance to continue to develop his career.
“But he has gone to a good club with Monaco and I am really happy for him.”
Lokonga, 23, central midfielder is surplus to requirements at Arsenal, where he is behind Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, Jorginho and Mo Elneny in the queue for a place in Arteta’s team.
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