Mikel Arteta praises Leeds United as Ben White completes Arsenal move
Ben White has joined Arsenal on a long-term contract, and manager Mikel Arteta has praised Leeds United for his development.
The 23-year-old spent 2019-20 on loan at Elland Road from Brighton and Hove Albion, featuring in every of the 46 Championship games as we secured Premier League promotion for the first time since 2004.
Arteta has acknowledged the role Leeds played in turning White into a top defender, telling Arsenal official website: “Ben has been educated with two very good clubs, Brighton and Leeds, in recent seasons.
“He has benefitted well from two very good coaching set-ups and has shown with both Brighton and on loan with Leeds what a strong talent he is.”
Top player
Leeds fans are probably gutted to see an Elland Road favourite move elsewhere despite our best efforts to sign him last summer.
White has joined Arsenal for £50million [Sky Sports] and there was no way we would have spent that amount on one player.
Nevertheless, Leeds and head coach Marcelo Bielsa can take pride in the fact that the defender is who he has become today in part to the footballing education he had while with us.
White earned himself a place in manager Gareth Southgate’s European Championship in the summer, and while he did not get to feature, he has what it takes to establish himself as a regular for the Three Lions going forward.
We are convinced he would hit the ground running at the Emirates Stadium, and while we would not be supporting the Gunners, White would continue to have a special place in our hearts.
Arsenal and Leeds would both be fighting for a European place next season, and the fact that they finished just a place and two points above us last season means we have what it takes to challenge them and other bigwigs in 2021-22.
In other Leeds news, Whites push ‘Very aggressively’ to sign international winger.