Arsenal eye staggering £50m Ben White summer transfer

Should Arsenal Sign Ben White From Brighton?

This can be answered very simply as yes.

Then the caveat comes with his £50m price tag. Where will this money come from? Standing here right now it’s very easy to pinpoint these rumours as opportunistic given his name started trending for a brief while. Such is the process. Arsenal may be ‘eyeing a move’ but they’ll also jump at the chance of Kylian Mbappe if it was financially viable.

What’s interesting is how White isn’t the first central defender to be linked with a north London move who will cost such a hefty sum. Kounde and Tapsoba will both cost more and, of the three, White is actually the most plausible acquisition. Such strong links to the other two suggest that Arteta sees centre-back as a real problem area, and if he can he’ll spend the goods to solidify it.

White is allowed to express himself in Graham Potter’s system, one that suits his profile. A ball-playing centre-back, the addition of two fellow centre-halves and wing-backs next to him gives him the stability to play out and drive his side up the pitch. Attempting 1.16 dribbles per 90 sits him in the 98th percentile (fbref), with his completed figure up in the 96th. The 23-year-old is so confident and calm with the ball at his feet. A vital modern trait.

From here he can contribute in multiple phases of the attack, with passes into the penalty area worthy of a 93rd percentile score. As far as his xG goes it’s very low, but this is a Brighton side without a single forward who knows how to finish, he’s perhaps followed suit. And, y’know, he’s a cente-back. White’s xA is much better, however, sitting in the 69th percentile with 0.23 key passes per game which indicates his quality after carrying.

These follow through into shot-creating actions where his overal SCA sits at 0.73, with an 84th percentile ranking for dribbles leading to a shot.

Overall though, it’s his composure in possession that is most striking. He demonstrated that in the second tier and hasn’t looked back following on into the Championship. Looking like he might be starting for England in Euro 2020 if he Harry Maguire isn’t fit, that could be truly tested.

However, Arsenal do have their sights on another (cheaper) defender, who also happens to be homegrown. The sign of a change in approach?

Continued…