WE BELIEVE BEN CAN BE EXTRAORDINARY
Arteta says £50m star is heading the White way
MIKEL ARTETA believes that Ben White can be “extraordinary” and admits he has been bowled over by the way the 23-year-old has handled his £50million move.
Gunners defender White, unlucky to be left out of the England squad for World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Hungary, today goes back to the club where his career ignited.
His summer move to Arsenal started shakily as the Gunners lost their opening three games, with White missing the defeats by Chelsea and Manchester City with Covid.
But last Sunday in the North London derby, the defender showed his real pedigree as he snuffed out Tottenham talisman Harry Kane.
The Arsenal manager goes into the game against a Brighton side in sixth place with his team on a run of three straight league wins.
Arteta, right, said: “We bought Ben because we believe that he can be extraordinary.
“I’ve been very impressed with how he handles the pressure, the situation of coming through the Euros, the big fee, the composure he shows. He still doesn’t have that much experience in the league, he is not mature in that sense, but he has already shown his qualities.
“He has been selected for the national team, which is not a coincidence, and the way he has adapted is impressive. The potential is there. Now it is how he can fulfil that. Ben knows he will be asked questions in this league, because it is one of the most demanding positions to play. At the moment, he is doing it.” The centre-half’s ability on the ground and his long passes out of defence have already given Arsenal another dimension this season, but Arteta warned: “He has to defend first, do everything we have asked him to do defensively.
“But we bought Ben because he has that ability to break lines. He has that composure to make the right decision. But first of all he needs to defend, and he is doing that really well.”
Meanwhile, Gunners goalkeeper Bernd Leno claimed this week he has been given no reason why he has been replaced by Aaron Ramsdale, but Arteta insisted: “I had a very clear conversation with him 48 hours before I was going to make the decision.”