According to journalist Peter O’Rourke, Brighton & Hove Albion defender Ben White wants to become an Arsenal player this summer.
Following a remarkable season with the Seagulls, the Englishman was rewarded with a call up to the national squad for the European Championship.
The 23-year-old made his international debut against Austria in a friendly game ahead of Euro 2020, coming on as a second-half substitute. But, the defender did not make any further appearance in the Championship.
Speaking to Football Terrace Podcast, the journalist claimed that the Ben White deal will gather pace following the conclusion of Euro 2020 and currently there are no more stumbling blocks to get this deal across the line.
O’Rourke further claimed that a fee of around £50-55 million will tempt Brighton to sell their star man. The defender is eager for a move to the Emirates Stadium, despite interests from the other Premier League clubs. The journalist said:
“Yeah, no issues on this one, this one will really speed up now England and the Euros are finished. Ben White will probably want to try and get this move tied up before he goes away on a break. I can see something happening with Ben White later this week or the start of next week.”
“Arsenal are pretty confident that they’ve done enough to get this deal done, convinced the player of the project that Mikel Arteta is trying to work on at the Emirates – so Ben White is seemingly fully on board with that. He wants to become an Arsenal player, despite interest from other clubs.”
“It’s just trying to sort out the fee with Brighton, but I think Brighton will reluctantly agree to probably selling Ben White for between £50m to £55m with add-ons.”
Arsenal Fever View:
Ben White could become an integral part of Arsenal’s defence for the next decade. The 23-year-old has the necessary attributes to become a world-class defender. He can pass through the lines and is also very disciplined in defence.
The Englishman’s high level of concentration has helped him to become a consistent performer in the top-flight. He has tremendous positional sense and also likes to dribble out from tight areas. However, the defender lacks the aerial abilities to match up against the big central forwards.
The youngster will be a precise replacement for David Luiz. The Englishman can also be deployed in a defensive midfield position, given his ability on the ball. His attributes are perfect for Mikel Arteta’s back three tactics which the Spaniard has implemented on several occasions during his time at the club.
Following the departure of David Luiz and William Saliba, Arsenal needed a new centre-back and Ben White will be a very good addition. However, the mentioned fee is too high for a player who had only one decent season in the Premier League.
Read More: 99.9% complete, Arsenal on the verge of Sambi Lokonga signing
