Barcelona are keen to explore a summer move for Arsenal defender Ben White amid growing speculation surrounding his future at the Emirates.
According to Fichajes, Barcelona could be interested in exploring a move for Ben White in the summer window. The versatile Arsenal defender is no longer an automatic starter under Mikel Arteta, which has fuelled speculation over his future beyond the current season.
Ben White remains one of the key defensive cogs in Arteta’s system, but the former Brighton man has battled multiple fitness problems over the last 18 months or so. On his day, he is a top-notch professional who makes the team’s defence better, but his inability to stay fit for longer periods has somewhat hampered his development.
Jurrien Timber’s rise as Arsenal’s first-choice right-back has seen the Dutchman cement his place in the side. Ben White has largely been relegated to a bench role, but remains an important player for Arteta. The defender attracted some interest in January amid links to Everton, who remain hopeful of pursuing him in the summer.
There could be further interest in the market, as Arsenal may consider selling, as per the report, with Ben White’s current market valuation around the €30 million mark. Barcelona are the team showing admiration for the 28-year-old, with the belief that the English defender fits their ideas from a tactical perspective.
Barcelona believes they can meet his market value, but it remains to be seen how much the North Londoners would demand. As for the defender, he appears happy with life at the Emirates, as he continues to focus on regaining full fitness before making any decision on his future.
Is Ben White a replacement for Jules Kounde?
The presence of Jules Kounde in the Barcelona squad also adds a layer of confusion to the chase. Given that Ben White would start for most teams around England or Europe, it is difficult to see him playing second fiddle to Kounde, unless he is being considered for a more central role at Barcelona.
There are rumours that Barcelona might consider offers for Kounde to ease their financial situation, in which case it could make sense to replace the Frenchman with the versatile Arsenal defender. For now, the links between the Catalans and Ben White are only rumours, but things could accelerate if Arsenal open the door to a transfer in the summer.