England international Ben White is ‘getting closer’ to signing a new contract with Premier League leaders Arsenal, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The £50 million signing from Brighton and Hove Albion may have lost his place in the Arsenal XI of late – Takehiro Tomiyasu relegating him to the bench – but Ben White remains a crucial part of Mikel Arteta’s plans.
White, like so many of the club’s other signings in the Arteta and Edu Gaspar era, is tactically versatile and technically gifted. Homegrown too, helping forge a locally-sourced spine at the Emirates Stadium.
And while White still has three years left on his current deal, a new and improved contract is a fitting reward for a man who has spent much of the last 15 months out of position at right-back while producing arguably the best football of his career.
Arsenal in talks to extend Ben White contract
“Contacts between Arsenal and Ben White over a new deal continue,” Romano tells Caught Offside. “I’m told the conversation is going very well. They will keep negotiating and talk in the next days (and) weeks.
“But it’s getting closer.”
White was one of the first names on Arteta’s team sheet as Arsenal came within touching distance of a first Premier League title in two decades last term. The former Leeds United loanee has already featured 21 times in 2023/24 too.
“I know fans are keen for regular updates and this one had perhaps gone a bit quiet since I first reported it some weeks ago,” Romano adds.
“But there is no concern there as far as I understand. It’s progressing well and talks will continue.”
Gunners like Sacha Boey
Arsenal could still look to bring in a more natural option at right-back in the coming windows. Sacha Boey of Galatasaray has already confirmed that The Gunners had shown an interest in luring him away from Istanbul.
”I had contacts with various clubs,” Boey tells CARRÉ. “These clubs also contacted Galatasaray. There were opportunities for me to go to the Premier League.
“There were some meetings between Galatasaray administrators and Arsenal officials. There was an interest, but there was no official offer,” he added.
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