Alious
Rob Holding, formerly of Arsenal, finds himself in a challenging situation at Crystal Palace, having made just one appearance since joining the club in the summer of 2023. The defender, who moved on deadline day last year, is yet to make his Premier League debut for Palace and is currently training with the Under-21 side.
Holding’s move to Palace was initially seen as a fresh start, but over a year later, his future at the club appears uncertain. The first indication of trouble came when Holding was noticeably absent from a club anniversary photo featuring both the men’s and women’s squads. It soon became clear that he had been effectively excluded from the first-team setup and was training with the under-21 squad instead.
The root of Holding’s exile seems to be a disagreement with Palace manager Oliver Glasner. When questioned about Holding’s absence, Glasner provided a vague response, stating that Holding was training individually and that the reason was known to the player but would remain private. However, reports from the BBC suggest that the rift originated from a post-match running session following Palace’s 2-0 home defeat to West Ham on August 24, where Holding was an unused substitute.
Since joining Palace, Holding has made only one appearance for the club, playing in an EFL Cup match against Manchester United last season. He has yet to feature in any Premier League games, despite Palace’s struggles early in the season that saw them drop into the relegation zone.
Despite these challenges, Holding has maintained a professional attitude. He continues to train diligently with the U21s and recently played a full 90 minutes in their 3-1 victory over Gillingham in the EFL Trophy, demonstrating his commitment to staying fit and in form.
Even if Holding were to resolve his issues with Glasner, his path back to the first team looks difficult. Palace strengthened their defensive options significantly during the summer transfer window, signing three centre-backs: Maxence Lacroix from Wolfsburg (£18 million), Chadi Riad from Real Betis (up to £14m), and Trevoh Chalobah on loan from Chelsea. The club also retained Marc Guehi, valued at £70m, who remains a key figure in Palace’s defence. With other established defenders like Chris Richards, Jefferson Lerma, Joel Ward, and Nathaniel Clyne in the squad, competition for places is fierce.
While Holding’s professionalism has been praised by those involved with the U21 setup, a return to Palace’s first team seems unlikely in the near future. In a telling move, Holding has removed all references to Palace from his Instagram account and unfollowed the club, suggesting that his time at Selhurst Park may be coming to an end.
Alious
