JOHN McGinlay believes Rob Holding needs to leave Wanderers this summer for the sake of his career.

With Arsenal and Tottenham hot on the trail of the England Under-21 international, it seems almost inevitable he will be leaving the Macron Stadium ahead of next season.

Dean Holdsworth has indicated he will not be letting the 20-year-old academy graduate leave on the cheap. And though the player has attempted to distance himself from the speculation, McGinlay feels he would not benefit from dropping down a level with the Whites.

“Let’s be completely honest, he would be wasted in League One,” said the legendary striker. “It would hold him back.

“The club can take a great deal of credit for nurturing his talent, for giving him the opportunity, and the lad himself should take a lot of credit too.

“In an ideal world you would keep him, make him captain, build a team around him. But the situation we’re in right now it makes sense for all parties to look around at his options.”

Wanderers have turned one bid down from Arsenal but are expecting further interest from the Gunners.

Tottenham have also been reported to have an interest but the Whites have thus far played down suggestions there has been a second offer.

Numerous other clubs have waited in the wings including Everton, Bournemouth and Celtic – but while Wanderers are unlikely to get a large up-front fee for the young defender, they are hoping to stack up bonuses based on his potential.

In total, some at the Macron believe they could make £7million from the deal over time.

Winning his first international caps in the recent Toulon Tournament will help inflate his valuation, noted McGinlay.

“I think playing for England undoubtedly puts the club in a better position,” he said. “Even though he only got his first cap the other day, it’s one step towards a senior cap. It puts him on the right path.

“He’s getting the reward for really shining through in a difficult season and I for one am very pleased for him.”

Holding has not pushed for a deal, telling The Bolton News last month that he was “focused on playing for Bolton in League One.”

But McGinlay reckons a realistic offer from one of the top-flight giants would be too hard to turn down.

“He’s a very level-headed lad and I had the pleasure of speaking with him at the legends game,” he said. “He’s a genuine pleasure to be around.

“He speaks so highly of the football club. It is a shame he has to be sacrificed because of where we are at the moment. But I think deep down he knows something has to happen for the sake of his career.”