Arsenal want England star Ben White but Brighton slap £50m price tag on him

Despite signing 10 central defenders since 2014, Arsenal are linked with yet another centre-back in the form of Brighton and England star Ben White.

Mikel Arteta's side are thought to be just one of many teams keeping tabs on the 23-year-old's situation, with White having only signed a new deal with the Seagulls last summer.

One of Graham Potter's most prized assets, White worked his way through the Brighton academy ranks before establishing himself as a mainstay in the senior team.

A stunning season on loan at Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds in which he helped them gain promotion to the Premier League also aided his rise.

In the aftermath of his recent call up to England's Euro 2020 squad, Sportsmail revealed that Brighton currently value their defender at around £50m, meaning Arsenal would have to sacrifice a marquee signing in another season if they were to seal a deal for White.

The centre-back is currently tied to the Amex for another three years, with his current contract not expiring until June 2024.

Should Arsenal splash the cash on Ben White this summer? Comment below

Arsenal are currently operating with less money than usual due to a number of factors, most notably the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic as well as their lack of European football for the first time in 25 years.

The Gunners are expected to allow Granit Xhaka, Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira leave North London on a permanent basis.

While Dani Ceballos has already returned to parent club Real Madrid, meaning Arteta's side are somewhat light in the middle of the park.

As a result, the money that would have been spent on White could be better spent elsewhere, with Arsenal heavily linked to White's Brighton teammate Yves Bissouma.

Recently appointed head of football operations Richard Garlick will work closely with technical director Edu to negotiate deals for any of Arsenal's summer targets.

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