Forget Mertesacker – Source confirms Arsenal want to seal deal for highly-rated ace, deal already tabled

Faced with prospect of losing some of their star players this summer, Arsenal are ready to offer Rob Holding an improved contract to keep him at the club, according to report from the Sun.

Both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Oil are nearing the end of their contracts while in the defence department Hector Bellerin has been consistently linked with a move back to Barcelona, Kierian Gibbs could leave this summer after dropping out of the first-team and Per Mertesacker is contemplating drawing curtain on his career at the end of the season, leaving Arsene Wenger short of options in that area.

Holding made impressive performances towards the end of the season when Wenger converted to a back three, helping them to win the FA Cup with a 2-1 win over Chelsea, and Arsenal are set to reward him with anew contract.

The England U-21 international was handed first team action following injuries to Laurent Kosicienly and Gabriel Paulista, and put to rest any doubt about his ability to deliver in the English top-flight.

And according to the Sun, the 21-year-old who joined the Gunners in 2016 from Bolton for £2.1 million will extend his current contract which expires in the summer 2020.

Wenger is also looking to bring in more players ahead of next season to add more depth and strengthen the squad. He has Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez, Monaco starlet Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona’s Arda Turban topping his transfer list.