Arsenal have completed the signing of Rob Holding from Bolton for a fee in the region of £2.5 million.
The club's third summer arrival is very much viewed as a player for the future although it's likely that he will get first-team action next season.
Holding, a composed defender who can also play at right-back, recently won the Toulon Tournament with England Under-21s alongside his new Arsenal team-mate Calum Chambers.
While Chambers' future remains uncertain and a loan move beckons, Bolton's 2015-16 Player of the Year arrives at Emirates Stadium amid plenty of hype.
The 20-year-old made his senior debut in a League Cup match against Burton Albion last August and went on to make 29 appearances for Neil Lennon's side.
He's received plaudits for his versatility, passing ability, strength and communication skills, all of which would have been noted by Wenger's scouting team before deciding to sign him.
WHERE WILL HE FIT IN?
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It's expected that Holding will be involved in League Cup matches and used sporadically throughout his first season in the top flight.
He faces competition at centre-back from Gabriel Paulista, the Brazilian who has yet to fully grasp English, and the aforementioned Chambers who looks set to go out on loan to a Premier League side.
Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny remain Arsenal's first-choice centre-back pairing for next season following Gabriel's inconsistent and erratic performances last campaign.
Holding will work closely with assistant manager Steve Bould, a former centre-back himself, for defensive advice and his confident personality means he will be able to handle the pressure of being involved in first-team matters.
Goal understands that Holding has not travelled with the Arsenal squad for their first pre-season friendly against Lens on Friday, but he will be involved in the latter fixtures in America, Sweden and Norway.
HOLDING IN ARSENAL'S FIRST TEAM STARTING XI
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HOLDING IN ARSENAL'S FRINGE STARTING XI
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- Goal******