Arsenal defender Ben White has become a really important player for the Gunners, journalist Paul Brown has told GIVEMESPORT.
The 25-year-old has played at both centre-back and right-back during his time at the Emirates, and Brown has praised him for his versatility.
Arsenal news — Ben White
While White may be a Premier League star and England international today, he recently revealed that he probably would’ve been a gardener if he didn’t become a footballer.
“I’d probably be working with my dad if I wasn’t a footballer. He used to be a gardener,” the defender said in a recent Arsenal matchday programme (via MailOnline).
“I think that’s why there was never any pressure on me growing up, because I would have been very happy with that. I went into football but it would have been no problem for me to do what my dad did.”
White joined Arsenal from Brighton in a £50m deal back in 2021, as reported by BBC Sport. According to Spotrac, he’s currently earning £120,000 a week at the Emirates.
What has Paul Brown said about Ben White and Arsenal?
Brown has hailed White and doesn’t think Arsenal would be the same if they were missing him or one of their other starters in defence.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said: “There are more important players in the Arsenal team, but I think if you took out any one of that back four, they’d have a problem.
“They work together very well as a unit and Ben White’s versatility in various situations is really important because he’s someone who’s comfortable slotting in at centre-back or full-back, and whichever of those positions he plays, he’s going to find himself covering other areas of the pitch in various situations. So I think that’s quite a useful trait for Arsenal and has been quite important for them.”
How important has Ben White become for Arsenal?
As Brown explained, very. The fact that he’s versatile makes him such a useful player to have around.
According to Transfermarkt, the England star, who’s been described as “underrated” by Sky Sports‘ Nick Wright, has made over 30 appearances at centre-back and over 30 at right-back for Arsenal.
It’s true; White isn’t stealing the headlines like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, for example. But if Mikel Arteta’s side do go on to win the Premier League this season, then the former Brighton man certainly would’ve played his part.
