What White's arrival means for Saliba and Arsenal's other centre-backs

Stefan Bienkowski
Stefan Bienkowski
  • 31 Jul 2021 07:02 CDT
  • 4 min read
Arsenal unveil Ben White, who arrives for £50m from Brighton
© ProShots

Ben White’s spectacular £50 million move to Arsenal is undoubtedly a sign of intent from the London club.

Article continues under the video

Mikel Arteta’s side were far from good enough last season but the arrival of White from Brighton should suggest to fans that the club mean business this season.

However, with White’s arrival as the club’s new central defender, there will inevitably be an uneasy shift in Arsenal’s squad in order to accommodate their latest signing.

So what does White’s arrival mean for Arsenal’s current roster of central defenders?

Gabriel

Having joined the club just last summer for £23.4 million, Gabriel is perhaps the only central defender in Arteta’s squad that can rival White in terms of profile and the manager’s own list of preferences.

While the Brazilian took some time to settle into the Premier League and had to overcome a COVID infection, Gabriel has now established himself as one of Arsenal’s best defenders and will likely be White’s main defensive partner going forward.

Arteta now has almost too many options in central defence
© ProShots - Arteta now has almost too many options in central defence

Rob Holding

Only three players played more minutes under Arteta last season than Rob Holding and while the former Bolton defender may not be the most high-profile defender in the Premier League, he has developed into a perfectly dependable defender for Arsenal.

Holding’s game time next season shouldn’t really be in doubt, but if Arteta persists with a back four then the English defender may find himself fighting with Gabriel and White for one of the two central positions.

Don’t miss the next big transfer!

Get the latest transfer insights and analyses directly in your mailbox.