Arsenal is looking to bolster their defence by adding a ball-playing defender who could start their attacks from the back and Ben White is seen as the best option.
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Arsenal have reportedly reached a GBP 50m agreement in principle to sign Ben White from Brighton and Hove Albion FC. Sky Sports News reported Arsenal had a GBP 40m bid rejected in June with another move for a price of GBP 47m subsequently rejected. But discussion continued into July and the two Premier League teams seem to have agreed to a deal. Brighton will get a guaranteed GBP 50m with structured payment with no add ons.
The 23-year-old defender joined Brighton in 2014 after leaving Southampton. He had loan spells at Newport County, Peterborough United, and Leeds United before making a mark at Brighton last season.
The centre-back broke into the first team in the last season. White quickly rose into prominence and established himself as an important player in the side. He helped Brighton survive relegation. The team finished 16th in the top flight. They had the joint-best defensive record in the bottom half of the league (46 goals conceded).
White’s heroics earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2020. Although he played in the two warm-up matches against Austria and Romania, Ben White couldn’t make an appearance in England’s run to the final. In a thrilling final, England lost to Italy on penalties as their wait was extended.
Arsenal is looking to bolster their defence after finishing 8th in the Premier League last season. The Gunners failed to qualify for European football for the first time since the 1994-95 season. Their defensive performance last season was quite good and despite having the third best defensive record in the league, head coach Mikel Arteta’s decision to spend GBP 50m for a defender has puzzled many fans.
But Arteta was clear about his intentions to sign the defender. White is a ball-playing defender. He has the most number of successful dribbles completed among defenders in the Premier League last season. His ability to comfortably keep the ball at his feet is very much what the modern-day football coaches demand.
Since the departure of David Luiz, there hasn’t been a player who could play the ball from the back for Arsenal. Arteta’s team was struggling to play out from the back and take the ball from one end to the other persistently. Therefore White is expected play at the right side of central defence.
Ben White is currently on holiday and is expected to take the medical test on July 26.
