Since signing for Arsenal from Bolton in 2016, Rob Holding has shown time and time again why Arsene Wenger has reason to be very excited about his future.

• Holding has 86% win ratio
• Has only lost once since debut against Liverpool
• Wenger hails his reading of the game

Despite Holding winning Bolton’s Player of the Season award last year, not many Gooners expected the 21-year-old who Wenger scooped up for £2m from the Championship to feature heavily in the first team. Not at first anyway, which was true.

The youngster made an appearance in a cup game here and there but mainly sat out for the senior matches.

That was until Wenger changed Arsenal’s formation to include three players at the back.

Holding was given a place in the starting XI and has been taking the Premier League by storm ever since.

The England youth international has helped to keep eight clean sheets since his debut against Liverpool, which is a clean sheet every 1.75 games, has only conceded seven goals and has only suffered one defeat. In fact, he has a win ratio of 86%.

In the Premier League, he makes 1.4 tackles on average per game, 1.3 interceptions, 4.8 clearances, and 0.6 blocks.

“The fans are always speedy but they know football and they can understand very quickly if the potential of a player is there,” Wenger told Arsenal Player.

“From the potential to becoming a top star is a long way to go, and that is based on motivation, intelligence and desire, but I’m sure that Rob has the positive ingredients for that.

“He’s good in the air, calm on the ball, has a good reading of the game and I think he’s a very complete centre back who will have a good mixture of being a good defender and also very good on the ball.

“He still has to gain experience and the central role is a bit more of a decisive one, so I use him a bit more on the flank. He’s a very interesting prospect.”