Unai Emery is convinced Arsenal made the right decision in keeping Rob Holding this season after the young centre-back admitted this week that he had considered leaving the club in the summer.

Holding has not missed a minute of Arsenal’s past six Premier League games and has found himself preferred to Sokratis Papasthopoulos on occasion in recent weeks.

It is an impressive revival for Holding, who struggled to hold down a regular place last season under Arsene Wenger and had considered a loan move away from the club.

Instead Arsenal opted to loan Calum Chambers to Fulham and, with Konstantinos Mavropanos, Laurent Koscielny and Sokratis all having spent periods on the sidelines, Holding has found a regular spot for himself.

Emery said: “In the pre-season we also had Mavropanos - but he is injured now - we had also Chambers and we decided to let him go on loan to Fulham and we decided that Rob Holding stayed here.

"In the pre-season, every decision was looking at the matches with the players and finding the best performance in this moment.

“We decided for him to stay here and when he had chances, he played well and he helped us with big performances. Every match is a test, another test for Rob to do that.”

Holding’s form has helped Arsenal somewhat ease the defensive difficulties that plagued them under Arsene Wenger and the 23-year-old is hoping his displays are sufficiently impressive to earn him a call-up to the England squad.

However with Koscielny due to return to the first team next month, and Sokratis having recovered from an ankle injury, Emery warned his young centre-back that he will have to work hard just to retain his Arsenal place.

“He is improving, he is taking confidence and with confidence he is at his best. His chances are coming in the matches and now Koscielny also is working with us every day and he is close to playing in the next matches.

“Sokratis is working better every day also, I think his adaptation is better now than in the first two months. We need every player and Rob Holding for us is also very important with his spirit, with his commitment with us and with every player.”