Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed that Rob Holding will become an England international in the near future.

The 21-year-old returned to the Gunners' starting lineup for the Premier League victory over Middlesbrough before keeping his place for the FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester City at Wembley last weekend.

The England Under-21 international, who moved to the Emirates Stadium from Bolton Wanderers last summer for £2m, has impressed as part of Arsenal's new-look three-man defence and Wenger has tipped the centre-back for a bright future.

"Rob Holding is a promising defender, with a great future for England," Wenger told Sky Sports News. "He's intelligent, and very shrewd to analyse after the game.

"You make him analyse, and I always feel that a common trait with all the great players I have met in my life is that if you ask them how they played, they tell you accurately what happened, with the mistakes they made too.

"You always think they have a chance, he does that extremely well. I would say there is a potential that he could be one of those gems, I will follow his career for the future, because I think he will be an England international."

Holding has made four Premier League appearances for Arsenal this season, and 12 in all competitions.