Besiktas open talks to sign Arsenal defender Rob Holding

Turkish Super Lig club Besiktas have started talks in a bid to sign Arsenal defender Rob Holding this summer, according to French journalist Loic Tanzi.

The Daily Express reported earlier today that the 27-year-old, Nicolas Pepe, Cedric Soares, Folarin Balogun and Albert Sambi Lokonga have been told they can move on.

However, finding buyers for them has so far proven complicated.

Fortunately for Arsenal, Besiktas have emerged for Holding, who has fallen way down the pecking order of manager Mikel Arteta.

The Englishman joined the Gunners from Bolton Wanderers in July 2016 and has played 162 games for them since then.

Holding featured in 24 games across all competitions last term but started just half of them.

While he can play at both centre-back and right-back, defensive midfielder Thomas Partey has been preferred ahead of him most times, with the Ghana international featuring at right-back in the Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest last Saturday.

He is out of contract in 2025 and Arsenal would hope to get a decent fee selling him this summer as they look to raise more funds for further squad strengthening before the transfer window shuts.

The North London club have signed Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and David Raya (on loan with an option to buy) so far this summer, but they could sign more in a bid to bolster their options following injuries to Gabriel Jesus and the Netherlands international defender, and selling the likes of Holding will come in handy in helping them bring in new players.