After tying playmaker Martin Odegaard down to fresh terms, Arsenal are reportedly prioritising a contract extension for versatile defender Ben White.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano (via CaughtOffside), Arsenal are set to open talks over a long-term contract with defender Ben White, even though there are still three years on his current deal.
Romano wrote in his exclusive Daily Briefing column: “Arsenal always go player by player in contract negotiations and Ben White is the priority now.
“As you know I never mention salaries, and there are no other details available about a deal at this stage. For sure it’d be a long term deal but the final length has not been decided yet.”
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta are in seventh heaven right now. The north London club are well and truly off and running after a brilliant start to the season, most recently coming out on top with a 1-0 win over champions Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.
This was a landmark result and one they could look back on in May as key to how their season panned out. Arsenal’s work on the pitch has been commendable, but the way that they have improved as a club off the pitch is equally impressive, as highlighted by the flurry of recent contract extensions, helping them keep hold of the most prized assets at the club.
Mikel Arteta and co. have ensured that the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, and William Saliba have penned new deals, sealing their future at the Emirates as they look to go one better than last season by winning the Premier League.
Sporting director Edu Gaspar isn’t stopping at Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, and Saliba, either, with another key player set to be offered a new deal.
The 26-year-old is currently tied to the north London side until 2026, but the Gunners hierarchy are determined to reward him for his fine form and are ready to offer the full-back a new long-term deal at the club, which will see his wages increase.
The England international has become one of the key players since joining the Gunners from Brighton in 2021 for £50 million.
Starting his Arsenal career as a centre-back, White has recently been playing as a full-back in Mikel Arteta’s side for a long time now, with his consistency viewed as a crucial component of the team’s set-up. He has made a total of 95 appearances for the club, chipping in with three goals and five assists along the way.
White’s new deal may well be another important piece of business in the recent flurry of new contracts. It’s certainly a sign that Arteta values the right-back in his side.
