In a recent tweet, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano stated that Arsenal are set to prioritize sealing a move for Brighton and Hove Albion centre-half Ben White this summer. It is understood that the Gunners have agreed on personal terms with the English defensive ace and are now expected to push to get a deal done with the Seagulls for him during this summer transfer period.
Paperworks signed for William Saliba to OM from Arsenal on loan until June 2022, done and confirmed. Arsenal priority now will be working to complete Ben White deal with Brighton after personal terms agreed. ⚪️🔴 #OM
…and Lokonga official announcement, expected soon. ⏳ #AFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 13, 2021
White’s Impressive Campaign At The Amex Stadium
It was a solid campaign for White at the American Express Community Stadium as he managed to establish himself as a rock at the heart of Graham Potter’s defence. The Poole-born centre-half featured in 39 matches for his current club last season, picking up three yellow cards and one red card in the process across all competitions.
The 23-year-old gave a good account of himself on the defensive end of the field based on his average of 1.4 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, 1.4 clearances and 0.7 dribbles per game in Premier League football. He even distributed possession with a lot of conviction after making 83.2% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
White’s current deal with Brighton is set to run until the summer of 2024, so Arsenal would have to make a sizable offer if they are serious about bringing him to the Emirates Stadium in this off-season. At 23, he has a lot of room to grow into a world-class central defender at North London in the coming seasons.
What Will The Seagulls Star Add To Mikel Arteta’s Team?
White is maturing into a class act in central defence as he has got good defensive awareness that helps him sense the danger quickly and clear his lines when required. He is a decent tackler of the ball and can make a few crucial interceptions for his team at the back.
The English talent can even use his strong 1.89m frame to dominate the opposition in the air by overpowering them in and around his penalty box. He is proficient at playing his way out from the back which makes him such a great fit for Mikel Arteta’s style of play at the English capital.
We can expect White to add plenty of bite and steel to the Gunners backline and is already good enough to secure a regular place in Arteta’s starting XI next season. Hence, the North London giants should consider trying everything in their power to get a deal over the line to land the Seagulls centre-back this summer.
