Unai Emery has revealed Rob Holding is a contender to be one of Arsenal’s five captains this season as the saga over current skipper Laurent Koscielny’s future rumbles on.
Koscielny shocked the Arsenal hierarchy last week when he refused to travel on the club’s pre-season tour to the United States.
The defender wants to return to France and saw a request to be released from his contract, which has 12 months left to run, denied to trigger his refusal to travel to America.
The 33-year-old is expected to face disciplinary action from Arsenal, while he is also likely to lose the captaincy.
That would leave a vacancy open in one of Emery’s five captains and the Spaniard says Holding is a contender as he wants to add someone English to the leadership group.
“I want one English player in these five captains,” Emery told reporters in the United States ahead of tomorrow’s match with Fiorentina.
“Last year [Granit] Xhaka, Mesut [Ozil] and Nacho [Monreal] were working as captains. But after Aaron Ramsey and Petr Cech left - and possibly Laurent Koscielny - I will want more.
“An English player who grew up in our academy can understand the English spirit and Arsenal values. These are the qualities and more [we want].”
In Pictures | Arsenal vs Bayern Munich | 18/07/2019
Holding is currently returning to fitness after suffering a serious knee injury against Manchester United back in December.
The centre-back has not played since then, but his presence on the pre-season tour is an indication of how there is optimism he could be fit for the start of the upcoming campaign.
“We are really happy with his progress. We need his performances as a centre back. (Before) he had his injury he was really playing with big performances,” Emery added.
