'When I first started at Arsenal, I told my agent, ‘I want to move to America and try something different one day.’ I’d never say never but I would happily spend my next five years here' Rob Holding on why he’s in no rush to come back to England

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'When I first started at Arsenal, I told my agent, ‘I want to move to America and try something different one day.’ I’d never say never but I would happily spend my next five years here' Rob Holding on why he’s in no rush to come back to England

Isaac Stacey Stronge

Sat, Apr 11, 2026 ·

3 min read

Rob Holding has no desire to return to English football

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Whatever the situation behind the scenes, it was clearly a difficult for the former Arsenal regular, but his love for the game was resurrected by a highly-regarded manager.

"Things didn't really work out the way that I'd imagined after leaving Arsenal and going to Palace," Holding admitted to FourFourTwo . "My love for football died away a bit.

Rob Holding for the Colorado Rapids, appears dejected after Major League Soccer game against Toronto FC at BMO Field in Toronto on April 4, 2026. (Photo by Indrawan Kumala/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Holding now represents Colorado Rapids in MLS | Credit: Getty Images

"I was stuck in this rut of, 'What's going to happen? Am I just going to call it quits?' But then I went to Sheffield United just to start playing again under Chris Wilder.

"He revived the love for football in me, just him day-to-day, the type of person he was and the group of lads up there – some of those lads were great. I had such a blast over my six months at the club. It was a really special changing room and environment there."

Following that loan with the Blades, Holding then made a big move across the Atlantic, signing for Colorado Rapids in MLS – but he stresses this wasn't the sign of a player looking for one last contract wherever he could get it.

"Coming to the MLS was always something I wanted to do," he said. "When I first started at Arsenal, I told my agent, 'I want to play the last years of my career in MLS, I want to move to America and try something different.'

"It just sort of felt like the right time to do it. I was about to turn 30, and I still wanted to come over to the US and have something to give. I didn't want to wait until I was a 34-year-old.

BROMLEY, ENGLAND - JULY 22: Rob Holding of Crystal Palace Warms up ahead of the pre-season friendly match between Bromley and Crystal Palace

Holding was scarcely seen by fans at Palace during his two years there | Credit: Getty Images

"I wanted to come here earlier than that, actually play good football and achieve something."

Some may believe Holding would jump at the chance to return to his home country if the right offer came up, but the centre-back is keen to reinforce the sure-mindedness of his decision.

"I'd never say never [on returning to England], because you don't know what's going to happen," he said. "But if it was up to me, I would happily spend my next five or six years, however long I play for, here in the States and trying to win something."