Arsenal sealing Ben White transfer could hurt Tottenham as Brighton weigh up options

Arsenal: First fixtures of 2021/22 Premier League season

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Brighton and Hove Albion are weighing up a move for Tottenham defender Joe Rodon as Ben White nears a summer switch to Arsenal, according to reports. The Gunners are said to be closing in on the services of the 23-year-old ahead of next season as Mikel Arteta looks to lead a large-scale overhaul of his playing squad.

Arsenal are believed to be on the lookout for reinforcements all over the pitch in order to build on last season’s disappointing eighth-placed finish in the Premier League.

Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Mendes of Anderlecht and Benfica respectively are said to be closing in on moves to the Emirates Stadium, while the likes of Manuel Locatelli and Yves Bissouma have also been linked with the club.

White is another player widely expected to join Arsenal ahead of the new campaign, with a proposed transfer fee of £50million reportedly being discussed with Brighton.

If the England defender completes his switch to the Gunners, it could end up weakening Tottenham’s ranks with the Seagulls keen on Rodon, according to The Sun.

The report claims that Brighton have identified the Welshman as a target, with Graham Potter remaining a keen admirer from their time at Swansea City together.

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Spurs only signed Rodon last summer in a £10million deal to bring him to north London, with the defender going on to make 19 appearances for the club in all competitions.

However, it is said that his sale is not out of the question before the start of next season, with new managing director of football Fabio Paratici reportedly close to the signing of Japanese centre-back Takehiro Tomiyasu.

It is said that Rodon’s skill-set would make him the perfect replacement for White if Arsenal are successful in poaching the latter’s signature.

Paris Saint-Germain and Everton have also been credited with an interest in White, but the Gunners are believed to be the overwhelming favourites to complete the move.

Former Premier League striker Noel Whelan recently suggested that Arsenal would reap the rewards of landing the Poole native this summer, highlighting his ability to thrive as a crucial part of Arteta’s ball-playing system.

“The one thing Arsenal have been missing is that playmaker from the back, somebody with that bit of pace,” Whelan told Football Insider last month.

“He ticks every box for me, Ben White, hence why we [Leeds United] were priced out of him. We knew he was going to be a star, a big player playing international football.

“He does fit Arsenal down to a tee, I’ll be honest with you. If it wasn’t going to be Leeds, I think Ben White going to Arsenal, that is the style of player that he is now.

“In my eyes, that background of Arsenal, how they play the game, there’s no doubt about it, they need a rebuild at the back, especially in that centre-half area.”

However, former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan previously urged White to avoid a move to Arsenal, suggesting that he is more than capable of playing in a better side.

“Arsenal are all over the place,” Jordan told talkSPORT. “If you’re comparing Brighton and Arsenal then, yes, Arsenal is a step up.

“But you’re talking about someone who is in the England squad who people inside the game think is an absolute Rolls-Royce.

“What is the move to Arsenal for? Because they are a long way away from where they need to be.”

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