Darren Bent says ‘what a signing’ Ben White has been for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal after questions were initially raised when the club signed him for ‘£50 million’.
The former Premier League striker, who is a boyhood Arsenal fan, stated that Arteta has put his ‘faith’ and ‘trust’ in these young stars and now they are starting to produce.
During the summer of 2021, the Gunners paid Brighton £50 million for White (Sky Sports) and critics thought the north London club were making a mistake and they were overpaying.
At the time, White wasn’t an England international and he had only spent one full season in the Premier League with the Seagulls, after helping Leeds United earn promotion to the Premier League after a successful loan spell.
But Arteta saw something in the ball-playing defender, who had showcased the ability to play as a centre-back, fullback and in the middle of the park.
That transfer and call from Arsenal was praised by Darren Bent, despite the previous noise, as he told Drive on talkSPORT (13/03/23 at 4:10 pm).
“He (Arteta) has had to put his trust and faith in some of these young players,” said Bent. “Even £50 million for Ben White. People were like ‘what?!’
“All of a sudden, what a signing that looks like.”
WHITE UNDERRATED AT ARSENAL
The 25-year-old is a centre-back by trade, but instead, White has been doing wonders as a right-back this season.
It could be argued that the versatile star is an underrated figure in this Premier League title-chasing side because he is out of position, but he doesn’t look out of place.
But that’s where Arteta deserves credit because it was a big call from him at the start of the season to move White to right-back and partner William Saliba with Gabriel at the heart of Arsenal’s defence.
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