Wenger apologised for Holding transfer ahead of key Arsenal role

Arsenal icon Arsene Wenger previously apologised for Rob Holding ahead of the defender potentially playing a key role in the Gunners' fight to earn a place in next season's Champions League.

The north London side are embroiled in a battle to finish in the top four between now and the end of the campaign, with Tottenham Hotspur also well involved in the race.

It is currently Arsenal who hold the advantage as they sit fourth with a two-point lead over Spurs heading into what could be a key north London derby in just over a week. That game could likely be key in deciding who earns a place in the Champions League and it might fall on the shoulders of Holding to play a surprise role in the battle.

The former Bolton Wanderers defender played a key part in the Gunners' recent victory over West Ham United amid the injury suffered by Ben White. He was on hand to open the scoring against the Hammers at the London Stadium - his first ever Premier League strike.

Whilst his attacking prowess came in handy, he also turned in an impressive defensive performance - a display that could potentially give comfort to supporters should Holding be called upon more if White's injury is more severe than first feared. It is certainly a dramatic turnaround for a player who has never quite established himself in north London since arriving for a bargain fee of £2m from Bolton back in the summer of 2016.

That amount even saw Wenger apologise for the signing having received criticism for his shrewd dealings in the transfer market. Speaking after a draw with Leicester City at the beginning of the 2016/17 season, the Frenchman said: "I don't understand why you say I am reluctant (to spend money).

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"If I buy you for £45m tomorrow, does it mean I have done well? If I listen to you then I will have done well because I spent the money, but spending the money in itself is not the quality.

"Spending the money and getting a top player; that is different and we are ready to do that. I will spend £300m if I find the player, if I have £300m. We are a club who have 600 employees, who need to have a responsible attitude as well. The fans are highly influenced by the media and that's part of the process today.

"We try to make the right decisions. We have a whole team working on strengthening the team. I am not the only one. If we can find players who can strengthen our team then we will do that.

"It is a bit surprising that we come out of a football match and we do not speak about the football, we speak about money. Nobody is speaking about the performance of Rob Holding today.

"You should be happy; he is English, he is 20 years old, but I'm sorry he didn't cost £55m, so it cannot be good."