The post-Arsenal nightmare continues! Rob Holding's Crystal Palace exile explained with defender yet to make Premier League debut following 2023 move

Holding's move from Arsenal to Palace was seen as a fresh start for the defender, but just over a year later, his situation at the club has taken a dramatic turn, leaving his future in limbo. The first sign of Holding’s troubles became apparent when Palace celebrated a club anniversary with a joint photo of their men’s and women’s squads. Noticeably absent from the image was the 29-year-old, raising questions about his role at the club. It soon emerged that Holding had been effectively exiled from the first-team setup, training instead with the under-21 squad.

The rift between Holding and Palace manager Oliver Glasner appears to be the root of the defender’s exile. When asked about Holding’s absence from the first team, Glasner offered a vague explanation, stating, "Rob is training individually at the moment. We will talk together – he knows the reason. But it is something that stays between Rob and me. Nothing public."

However, according to the BBC, the disagreement stemmed from a post-match running session following Palace’s 2-0 home defeat to West Ham on August 24. Holding was an unused substitute during that game, and it seems tensions flared in the aftermath, leading to his demotion to the U21s.

Since his move to Palace, Holding has played only once for the club, featuring in an EFL Cup match against Manchester United last season. To date, he has not featured in any Premier League games, despite Palace’s early-season struggles and plummet to the relegation zone.

Despite the turmoil, Holding has remained professional. The report adds that the player is accepting of his situation and determined to keep training hard with the U21s. He recently played the full 90 minutes in their 3-1 victory over Gillingham in the EFL Trophy, showing his commitment to maintaining fitness and form.

Even if Holding were to reconcile with Glasner, his path back to the first team looks challenging. Crystal Palace bolstered their defensive options during the summer transfer window, signing three centre-backs: Maxence Lacroix from Wolfsburg for £18 million, Chadi Riad from Real Betis for up to £14m, and Trevoh Chalobah on loan from Chelsea. Additionally, the club managed to retain Marc Guehi, who is valued at £70m and remains a cornerstone of the Palace defence. The Eagles’ defensive lineup also includes established names such as Chris Richards, Jefferson Lerma, Joel Ward, and Nathaniel Clyne, which further complicates the situation for Holding.

While Holding’s professionalism has earned him praise from those around the U21 setup, the path back to the Palace first team seems distant. The defender has already removed all references to Palace from his Instagram account and has unfollowed the club on the platform.