It is looking like Arsenal’s first signing of the summer is going to be Ben White.
The Athletic reported on Thursday that the Gunners were set to sign the £50 million-rated Brighton & Hove Albion defender.
And after that, it was reported that Arsenal had agreed personal terms with White, who will earn £120,000 per week at the Emirates Stadium if a deal goes through.
The 23-year-old is a very exciting English centre-back and his inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad for Euro 2020 reflects that.
But will be play in that position at Arsenal?
According to Football London, Mikel Arteta could potentiall deploy White as a right-back if and when Hector Bellerin leaves.
The Spain international is reportedly set to join Inter Milan and Football London suggests that the former Leeds loanee could be used in that position as a replacement for the Italy-bound defender.
Don’t rule it out
You can’t really rule anything out with Arteta.
He is a man with firm beliefs and sticks to those beliefs, no matter how unpopular it makes him – and don’t get it twisted, spending £50 million on a centre-back and then playing him as a right-back would cause his popularity to plummett to a new low among Arsenal fans.
The only other role that White has played over the past two years was as a holding midfielder for a brief time at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa.
He is untested as a right-back at either Championship or Premier League level and therefore it’s unlikely that the Spanish coach will use him there.
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