Arsenal are reportedly very close to agreeing a deal for 23-year-old English international Ben White with the final fee thought to be around £50 million.
According to reputed Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Arsenal are closer than ever to signing Ben White after a breakthrough in their negotiations with Brighton & Hove Albion. The 23-year-old defender could move to the Emirates as soon as England wrap up their UEFA Euro 2020 campaign, with a £50 million fee all but agreed.
Arsenal could accelerate their transfer activity with the highly anticipated deal for English international Ben White. The Brighton defender is currently with the England squad at the Euros and could complete a transfer after the tournament concludes.
Arsenal are also on the verge of announcing other deals for left-back Nuno Tavares from Benfica and Belgian midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga from Anderlecht. White’s addition to those names will enable Arsenal to start their work on other targets, notably for central and attacking midfield.
The Gunners had identified White as a viable target at the start of the ongoing window and made few substantial offers to Brighton. However, the Seagulls rejected those approaches as they held for around £50 million, with Arsenal’s offer was somewhat below their valuation.
If the new reports are accurate, the Gunners could have struck a breakthrough in negotiations with Brighton and agreed on the deal. The reported fee is close to the £50 million Brighton wanted, although details regarding the exact figure and bonuses are unclear at this moment.
Lately, White was also attracting interest from other Premier League sides. Manchester City tried a late push, while Everton and Chelsea were showing interest. However, it is understood that White has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal and remains interested only in moving to the Emirates.
If the reported fee is accurate, then with the signing of Ben White, Arsenal could take their spending for this window to around £75 million, including the other two aforementioned deals. The north London club is expected to spend further on attacking and central midfield signings and a striker if there’s still some time and money.
Arsenal are also on the lookout for a goalkeeper and right-back. However, to conclude these other deals, they will have to make room in their already bloated squad. However, Ben White is considered an essential signing as Arsenal are somewhat short in the right centre-back spot.
After David Luiz’s departure at the end of the season and now William Saliba’s impending move to Marseille, Arsenal would only have Rob Holding in that particular position. The addition of White will give Mikel Arteta plenty of options to choose from, and overall he will represent a terrific signing for Arsenal at £50 million.
