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Arsenal signing given the nod by Southgate

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Arsenal summer signing Rob Holding has been included in Gareth Southgate’s latest England U21 squad, as confirmed by The Football Association’s official website.

The Gunners signed the 20-year-old from Bolton Wanderers earlier this summer, after he’d made 26 Championship appearances for the Macron Stadium outfit last season.

And the youngster’s Arsenal career has got off to a flyer, albeit his first-team opportunities coming due to the absence of more experienced personnel – namely injured duo Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista.

Indeed, Holding inevitably struggled alongside Calum Chambers upon his Premier League debut – a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool – but impressed against Leicester City last weekend.

He completed two blocked shots, eight clearances, one tackle and five successful aerial duels as the north Londoners claimed a clean sheet away from home against reigning Premier League champions.

Holding also impressed for England’s U21s earlier this summer as part of the squad that won the Toulon Tournament in France.

And Junior Lions boss Gareth Southgate has called upon Holding once again, including him in the squad that will face Norway next month alongside the aforementioned Chambers.

The full 24-man squad is as follows: Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn (Manchester City), Jordan Pickford (Sunderland), Joe Wildsmith (Sheffield Wednesday)

Defenders: Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Ben Chilwell (Leicester City), Brendan Galloway (West Bromwich Albion, loan from Everton), Kortney Hause (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rob Holding (Arsenal), Mason Holgate (Everton), Dominic Iorfa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Matt Targett (Southampton)

Midfielders: Lewis Baker (Vitesse Arnhem, loan from Chelsea), Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea), Isaac Hayden (Newcastle United), Will Hughes (Derby County), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea), John Swift (Reading), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)

Forwards: Demarai Gray (Leicester City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Nathan Redmond (Southampton), Dominic Solanke (Chelsea), Duncan Watmore (Sunderland)

England face Norway in a crucial qualifier for the U21 European Championship in Poland next summer. They’re currently top of Group 9, five points ahead of the Scandinavians in third.

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