Ben White to Everton claim made after latest Arsenal developments
Ben White has been mooted as a target for Everton in January.
Despite Everton’s depth being exposed in recent weeks, the Toffees are yet to make any new additions to their squad in January, though efforts are being made.
Youssef En-Nesryi has been linked with Everton as they look to address their attacking concerns that emerged as a result of Beto and Thierno Barry failing to impress.
Defensive reinforcements are also high on the agenda, with Everton having been linked with a move to sign Arsenal’s White.
Sky Sports journalist refuses to buy into Ben White rumours
Jarrad Branthwaite has yet to return from his injury in August, leaving the Toffees with very few options at centre-back.
Michael Keane and James Tarkowski have been David Moyes’ go-to, with Everton lacking any other senior options in that position aside from Jake O’Brien.
While Branthwaite’s return will be a boost, whenever that may be, the Toffees still need to bring another centre-back in, and given his experience and talent, White would be an excellent option.
However, when discussing the rumour on Sky Sports, Michael Bridges was having none of it.
“I don’t think so. All we can say is a number of clubs in the Premier League and Europe are keeping an eye on his situation,” Bridges said on the interest.
“He’s had injuries, and Jurrien Timber’s form has been fantastic. That’s why he’s been restricted to four Premier League starts this season.”
White joined Arsenal for a reported £50million back in 2021, and still has over two years left on his contract with the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta’s words on White showcase why a deal is unlikely
White is an incredibly versatile player, and for big-six teams in particular, it’s a very valuable trait to have.
He’s a centre-back by trade, but has also featured 132 times as a right-back, having also made a handful of appearances elsewhere throughout his career.
- CB – 212 appearances
- RB – 132 appearances
- DM – 13 appearances
- LB – 4 appearances
That is a big reason as to why Arsenal will want to keep him, which only adds to the fact that Mikel Arteta is a big fan of his.
Back in April last year, he said: “Personally, I’m very, very happy for him as a human being.
“I think the rest of the team is the same because he’s a player who has always played for us, and sadly, because of the right reasons, he wasn’t playing that much.
“But his attitude has been so positive, so good. Then, when you are ready, and you’re given the opportunity, you take it as he did.
“So I’m very happy that we have him back in the best version of himself as well, and we’re going to need him because he’s a tremendous player.”
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