Arsenal See Their £40m First Bid For Ben White Rejected

Arsenal reportedly placed their first bid for Brighton’s Ben White.

The Gunners came up with £40m in their first attempt but were turned away by Graham Potter’s side.

Brighton And Hove Albion value the defender at £50m and are not willing to accept anything less. White’s value has skyrocketed especially after he was picked in England’s squad for the 2020 Euros. Gareth Southgate has the 23-year-old as backup to starters Tyrone Mings, John Stones and Harry Maguire.

White rose to prominence during Leeds United’s Championship-winning season in 2020. He was a major part of Marcelo Bielsa’s charge to the Premiership and later under Graham Potter at Brighton. White adapted under both managers and showed a higher ceiling than most Premier League defenders in his age bracket.

Mikel Arteta is clearly aiming to upgrade his squad heavily this summer but it is interesting to note the players he is targeting. Almost all are 24 and under, mostly proven in the domestic league and high in demand. Even if White were to come into this Arsenal side, majority of their problems in attack will still remain next season.

Perhaps The Gunners are better off spending their money in real problem areas like the full-backs and midfield.