Holding a contender for captain

ROB HOLDING is a contender to be one of Arsenal’s five captains this season, as the saga over Laurent Koscielny’s future rumbless on.

Current skipper Koscielny ny last week refused to travel on the club’s pre-season tour to the United States.

The defender wants to return to France and asked to be released from his contract, which has 12 months left, but that request est was denied and he refused to tour.

The 33-year-old is expected to face disciplinary action and likely to lose the captaincy. That would leave a vacancy open in one of Unai Emery’s five captains and Holding (below), who is currently out with a knee injury, is in the manager’s thoughts. “I wwant one English player in thethese five captains,” Emery ssaid ahead of tomorrow’s match with Fiorentina in Charlotte.

“Last year [Granit] Xhaka, MMesut [Ozil] and Nacho [MMonreal] were captains.

But after Aaron Ramsey and Petr CeCech left, I’ll want more.

“An English player who grew up in our academy can understand the English spirit and Arsenal values.”