Ben White | Arsenal

RedDevilCanuck

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https://www.skysports.com/football/...enal-agree-50m-deal-to-sign-brighton-defender

Arsenal agree deal in principle to sign Brighton defender Ben White; England centre-back is seeking a new challenge and wants to move to Emirates; Arsenal had previous bids of £40m and £47m rejected

After leaving Southampton in 2014, White secured a move to Brighton and finally made his mark on the south coast following loan spells with Newport County, Peterborough United and Leeds United.

After breaking into the first team at the Amex Stadium he impressed last season in the Premier League in the heart of defence and was selected by Gareth Southgate for England's Euro 2020 campaign.

He also helped Brighton survive relegation and finish 16th in the top flight with the joint-best defence in the bottom half of the league (46 goals conceded).

The Gunners are looking to bolster their defence after finishing eighth in the Premier League and missing out on European football for the first time since the 1994-95 season.
 

The holy trinity 68

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https://www.skysports.com/football/...enal-agree-50m-deal-to-sign-brighton-defender

Arsenal agree deal in principle to sign Brighton defender Ben White; England centre-back is seeking a new challenge and wants to move to Emirates; Arsenal had previous bids of £40m and £47m rejected

After leaving Southampton in 2014, White secured a move to Brighton and finally made his mark on the south coast following loan spells with Newport County, Peterborough United and Leeds United.

After breaking into the first team at the Amex Stadium he impressed last season in the Premier League in the heart of defence and was selected by Gareth Southgate for England's Euro 2020 campaign.

He also helped Brighton survive relegation and finish 16th in the top flight with the joint-best defence in the bottom half of the league (46 goals conceded).

The Gunners are looking to bolster their defence after finishing eighth in the Premier League and missing out on European football for the first time since the 1994-95 season.
£50m :lol:

That price says it all about Arsenal of the last few years. Every decision they make is one disaster after another.
 

lex talionis

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White is not MUQ but he’s a decent acquisition for Arsenal. 50m is madness but we’ve been in land of madness for some time now. Expect the madness to get worse.
 

Jezpeza

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I look forwards to seeing a
Chambers Holding White back 3 at some point
 

redrobed

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Tbf it’s only 10m more than we paid for VDB and this guy might actually get some game time.
 

FrankDrebin

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What was the lowdown on Gabriel's first season at the club then ?
Is he the obvious player to partner White or is it going to be Holding ?
 

DJ_21

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How good is Ben white? Not really seen much of him. I have a friend who’s a Brighton fan and he raves about him all the time. Surprised we haven’t been in for him if he’s that good, fits Solskjær profile, young and English. I’d much prefer Varane though and he’d most likely cost a bit less.
 

Sultan

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How good is Ben white? Not really seen much of him. I have a friend who’s a Brighton fan and he raves about him all the time. Surprised we haven’t been in for him if he’s that good, fits Solskjær profile, young and English. I’d much prefer Varane though and he’d most likely cost a bit less.
I'm not someone who follows other teams players much, but when I've noticed him playing for England or Brighton he seems to be steady. I don't think a quality striker would be that concerned about getting much joy playing against White. Would be a decent squad player at a top club and IIRC reading he had his best games playing in a back three.
 

pss

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I've watched a lot of Brighton the past few season and White has usually looked quality, both in the back 3 and on the midfield. I think that both clubs should be happy with the 50 mil pricetag.
 

Idxomer

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Well, Leeds was offering 25m for him just a year ago based only on his time with them at the Championship.

Now he has a new contract, PL experience, and is an England international. 50m+, in theory, doesn't seem that crazy.
 

LuisNaniencia

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I'm gutted as Brighton are my local team and I rate White highly. But he's not the big commanding centre back Arsenal need in my opinion. They'd have actually been better off with a Dunk type player.
 

Bebestation

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I'm gutted as Brighton are my local team and I rate White highly. But he's not the big commanding centre back Arsenal need in my opinion. They'd have actually been better off with a Dunk type player.
In your eyes is White a CB or one of those hybrid CB/CDM players?
 

JustAGuest

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How good is Ben white? Not really seen much of him. I have a friend who’s a Brighton fan and he raves about him all the time. Surprised we haven’t been in for him if he’s that good, fits Solskjær profile, young and English. I’d much prefer Varane though and he’d most likely cost a bit less.
I don't think he is good enough to start for us. It makes more sense for Arsenal.
 

Leg-End

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Saw him at Peterborough a few seasons ago, was always comfortable on the ball but I can’t say I thought I was witnessing a future £50 million player.
 

G-manc

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How good is Ben white? Not really seen much of him. I have a friend who’s a Brighton fan and he raves about him all the time. Surprised we haven’t been in for him if he’s that good, fits Solskjær profile, young and English. I’d much prefer Varane though and he’d most likely cost a bit less.
I ive in Leeds and they all rave about him, albeit he played for them in the championship. He used to cover Kalvin Phillips in the CDM position when he was suspended/injured as he was perceived t be comfortable with the ball.

From what i've seen of him he seems decent on the ball and pretty committed but he does seem to lack pace. I guess Arteta is looking for someone to bring the ball out from the back which non of his other CB's do (outside of Luiz - has he gone now?).

His price was always going to be inflated once he was in the England squad.
 

Tallis

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I was intrigued so went ahead and checked. Arsenal have signed 7 CBs for their senior team in the last 6 seasons.

White
Salibah
Gabriel
Luiz
Holding
Mustafi
Sokratis

This excludes loans and some cheap
Junior prospects.

Except Holding and Luiz, the others cost some money (€15 or above).
 

MUFCAFC

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I think this will be a good signing for Arsenal. A good price for Brighton too, but I wouldn’t say they’ve ripped Arsenal off.

Would possibly have liked to see him at United, along with Varane too.
 

SilentWitness

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They were rejecting 25m bids for him last summer so after a solid season in the PL and getting called up to the England squad it's not surprising that his value has gone up a bit. Still, 50m is a huge fee for someone like Arsenal who are currently struggling to get into the EL. If they have another poor season they'll be in trouble.
 

el_loco_bielsa

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Decent enough ball-playing defender but overpriced by at least £20m. They should’ve been looking to pay no more than £30m for him - at £50m there are far better options about. He also has major aerial weaknesses.
 

Jezpeza

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The stats point to him being a cdm playing in defence. He is weak in the air and so is gabriel. Looks like arsenal will be succeptible at set pieces and from crosses in the box.
 

Adam-Utd

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So good that he doesn't even get into defence over Dunk and Webster. They had to play him as a CDM if they didn't play a back 3.

Arsenal are absolutely bonkers paying that much for him.
 

DWelbz19

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The stats point to him being a cdm playing in defence. He is weak in the air and so is gabriel. Looks like arsenal will be succeptible at set pieces and from crosses in the box.
Which was one of their (only) strengths last season - they conceded the fewest from set pieces.
 

Jezpeza

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Which was one of their (only) strengths last season - they conceded the fewest from set pieces.
cant see the plan there - decent keeper and wing backs, some good cam and wing players and had a couple of good prospect young centre halves in saliba and gabriel but shipped saliba out and spend 50m on white. Cant see them having much more to spend and all of their centre mids are pony and they need a striker.
 

11101

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At this rate Brighton will be finishing above Arsenal before long.

He's decent on the ball and reads the game well but he's not a great tackler and he's quite weak. It's hard to find any single area where he shines. Basically sums Arsenal up and the last thing they needed was yet another player like that.
 

AltiUn

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So good that he doesn't even get into defence over Dunk and Webster. They had to play him as a CDM if they didn't play a back 3.

Arsenal are absolutely bonkers paying that much for him.
Not like it's a glowing endorsement but there wasn't much between Webster and White.
 

CM

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Tbf it’s only 10m more than we paid for VDB and this guy might actually get some game time.
Well they also paid £30m for Saliba and he hasn't touched the pitch in the 2 years since they signed him, and he's going out on another loan this season.

The one thing about White is he has time on his side, but he hasn't done anything to suggest he's worth even close to £50m yet. It's not as though he's walking into a team with a leader/settled partner to help him along either. I'd genuinely argue Brighton have a better defence than Arsenal.
 

Adam-Utd

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Not like it's a glowing endorsement but there wasn't much between Webster and White.
Which I think says everything really.

Webster is decent but £50m for white is massively over paying.

We thought maguire for £80m was a lot :lol:
 

RedDevilRoshi

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I was intrigued so went ahead and checked. Arsenal have signed 7 CBs for their senior team in the last 6 seasons.

White
Salibah
Gabriel
Luiz
Holding
Mustafi
Sokratis

This excludes loans and some cheap
Junior prospects.

Except Holding and Luiz, the others cost some money (€15 or above).
And it’s still been their weak position :lol:
 

AgentSmith

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What would people consider a fair price for White?

I’m a big fan of him and think he’ll make an excellent signing in the long-term but £50 million is exorbitant, especially considering the value for money elsewhere in Europe atm.
 

Jezpeza

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What would people consider a fair price for White?

I’m a big fan of him and think he’ll make an excellent signing in the long-term but £50 million is exorbitant, especially considering the value for money elsewhere in Europe atm.
£20m. If hes a comparable player but not english and signed from abroad thats what he costs. You didnt see chelsea paying 50 for gary cahill back in the day. No one ever wanted Mathew Upson off Birmingham and he actually used to get in the England team.

If Arsenal want him at any cost a bit like we did with Maguire then fair play but they have much bigger issues in their team and thats probably a sizeable amount of their budget spent. It doesnt make much sense to me