Arsenal have accepted that Ben White's time at the club is coming to an end. According to journalist Graeme Bailey at TEAMtalk, the Gunners have 'reluctantly' opened the door to selling the England international this summer, providing a 'sizeable fee' lands on their desk.
The word 'reluctantly' matters here. White hasn't been a problem. He's been a professional, turned in 181 appearances since his £50m move from Brighton in 2021, and never made a fuss about his situation — even as Jurrien Timber took his spot and made it look permanent. This isn't a falling out. It's just the cold logic of squad-building: Timber is operating at a level that makes White's position redundant, and keeping an international-quality right-back in single-digit Premier League appearances isn't sustainable for anyone.
Five names, one priority
Arsenal have already drawn up a shortlist of five replacements. Ivan Fresneda (21, Spanish) and Wesley Franca (Roma) were previously reported as targets. The new additions to that list are Tino Livramento at Newcastle, Nnamdi Collins of Eintracht Frankfurt, and Vanderson from Monaco.
It's a varied group — different ages, different profiles, different price points. That's deliberate. Arsenal aren't locked into one type of player here; they're keeping their options wide until the market shapes up around what they get for White.
The January loan to Everton that never happened tells you something too. Arsenal weren't desperate to move him in winter. They want value, not just an exit. A cut-price deal won't do it.
White's next move
White's England recall under Thomas Tuchel this month is a reminder that he still has something to offer at the top level — even if his club minutes have dried up. Former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna made the point plainly: "He's still only 28 and he should keep playing at the elite level for at least another few years." The MLS chatter has already started, and Sagna is having none of it.
At 28, with an England recall in his pocket and a transfer market that will pay proper money for a right-back of his quality, White has every reason to stay in Europe. The question for Arsenal is whether they find a buyer willing to meet their valuation — because anything short of that, and they're just adding another complicated summer conversation to an already busy window.
