A BIG BEN BID
Seagulls KO Gunners’ first offer
ARSENAL are poised to up their bid for Brighton’s England defender Ben White after an opening £40m offer was rejected last night.
The Seagulls want £50m for White, who has emerged as a priority target for Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal placed their bid for White, 23, this week but it was rejected by Brighton.
The North London club are, however, still in talks with Albion and are expected to increase their bid in the next few days. White, who also interests Liverpool, had a superb season, making 39 appearances.
The previous campaign White was on loan at Leeds and Brighton rebuffed several offers from the Yorkshire club to make the move permanent.
Brighton are in no hurry to sell White, who can also play in midfield. He signed a four-year deal at the Amex last September
The Gunners are also locked in talks with Sheffield United over a surprise £24m deal for goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
The 23-year-old, who joined the Blades last year from Bournemouth, was this week called up into the England squad as a replacement for the injured Dean Henderson.
The Gunners want Ramsdale as competition for Bernd Leno, whose future is unclear as he could be returning to Germany. Arteta is moving early in the transfer window as he attempts to bolster an underachieving squad and has also had a £13.5m offer for Anderlecht midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga rejected, though an increased bid is expected.
Meanwhile, the Gunners have turned down Aston Villa’s £25m offer for 20-year-old midfielder Emile Smith Rowe.