Ben White out for MONTHS: Five solutions for Arsenal as Arteta face ‘NIGHTMARE’

Robin Bairner

22 Nov 2024 10:00 CST
5 min read

Arsenal have been rocked with the confirmation that Ben White will be absent for “months”.

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White has been struggling with a knee problem and over the international break underwent surgery to clear up the issue.

Now manager Mikel Arteta has laid bare the full extent of the problem, which he has described as a “nightmare”.

“It’s been different kinds of struggles. It’s never been the same thing. It’s not been improving,” Arteta explained prior to the Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest.

“It got to a point where we have to protect the player. Unfortunately it’s going to be a few months.”

It’s been an injury-hit campaign for Arsenal, with this the latest blow to their Premier League hopes.

At least in this instance, the transfer window is just around the corner, and with that in mind, here are four solutions provided by data analytics experts SciSports as to who the Gunners could sign in January to ease their issues.

Replacing Ben White: The criteria

White has primarily played as a right-back for the Gunners in recent months, so naturally this is the first key point.

Secondly, they have to have a style that is close to that of the Arsenal star. Consequently, there is an 85% similarity threshold in style. This is extremely high.

On top of this, Arsenal’s policy has typically been to look for younger players, so we have picked out stars 23 or below.

And finally, these players must have the capacity both to play in the Arsenal team immediately and scope for development in the future.

Naturally, unrealistic options have been filtered out. Chelsea’s Malo Gusto or Newcastle’s Tino Livramento, for example, are untouchable at those clubs while Brentford’s Aaron Hickey is out injured long term.

Position: Right-back

Style: 85% similar to Ben White

Age: 23 or younger

SciSkill: Greater than 80.0 with a potential above 100.0

Who could step up?

Arnau Martinez – Girona

A 21-year-old attack-focused full-back who is a Spain international and has the enviable attribute of having played significant Champions League football this season.

He has returned two goals and two assists across 15 appearances for the Spanish side, which is not a bad effort at all.

Arteta will also appreciate the leadership qualities that the youngster has already shown in his career: he has regularly captained Girona this term.

He has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €24.7 million, but it is questionable how much the City Football Group club will want to strengthen a rival for the title race.

Current ETV

Arnau Martínez

D (R)

Girona

Arnau Martínez

D (R)

Girona

ETV Range

€18.5M - €30.9M

Devyne Rensch - Ajax

Devyne Rensch is having a solid season at Ajax. The right-back has already played 17 matches (scoring one goal) this season and has caught the attention of national team coach Ronald Koeman.

Rensch made his return to the Dutch national team last Tuesday, earning his second cap in the match against Bosnia. His first international appearance came three years ago.

A lot has happened with Rensch in the meantime. Back in 2021, he was considered one of the biggest talents in the Netherlands but never fully lived up to those high expectations.

Now 21 years old, Rensch even lost his starting spot at Ajax at one point, raising questions about whether he would ever reach the top.

While he has regained his starting position, the absolute top level still seems out of reach. However, given his expiring contract, Rensch might be worth taking a chance on - perhaps he’ll prove otherwise.

Vanderson - Monaco

Vanderson has been at Monaco for nearly three years now, and for much of that time, the right-back has been linked with a move to a big Premier League side.

During his time with the Ligue 1 club, he has earned his spurs by winning multiple Brazil caps and gaining significant experience at the top level of the game.

Earlier this season, he caught the eye with two assists against Barcelona yet there is a sense that he has not realised his full potential in an attacking sense, with a couple of injuries last season playing their part in holding him back. He has, however, improved defensively, regaining a high volume of possession and proving particular adept at winning the ball high up the field.

Under contract at Monaco until 2028, he has an ETV of €18.2m.

STATS

Vanderson

D, M (R)

Monaco

Vanderson

D, M (R)

Monaco

12

Games
1

Goals
3

Assists

Kiliann Sildillia – Freiburg

There could be a real opportunity for Arsenal to make a smart bargain signing from Freiburg during January, with Kiliann Sildillia currently out of favour at his club.

A 10-time capped France U21 international, the 22-year-old has found the going difficult in recent months after making some significant errors in possession last season, which has restricted him to just a handful of minutes this time around.

There is a thrilling player buried in there, though. The Metz academy product was outstanding in 2022/23, when it really looked like he could reach the top.

Perhaps a change of scene might be just what he needs, and with an ETV of just €12.5m, he would be an inexpensive option for Arsenal to consider.

Josha Vagnoman – Stuttgart

Finally, there is Josha Vagnoman, a one-time capped Germany international who is currently playing with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga.

The 23-year-old has become a mainstay of Sebastian Hoeness’ side, and the sheer fact that such a talented coach rates him so highly speaks volumes towards his quality.

Current ETV

Josha Vagnoman

D, M (R)

VfB Stuttgart

Josha Vagnoman

D, M (R)

VfB Stuttgart

ETV Range

€6M - €10.1M

He is a player who very much has a defensive focus. His strengths are not in the final third but in first and foremost being a defensive obstacle that opponents find it hard to negotiate. After all, he only has six goals and six assists after more than 60 appearances with VfB, despite starting off primarily as a midfielder.

If Arteta is content to have a limited attacking threat from the right-back role, he is worth consideration, especially with a January-friendly ETV of €8m.