Arsenal sign Ben White from Brighton in £50m transfer

The England international has committed his future to the Gunners through to 2025, and will now join up with the squad ahead of the new season

Arsenal saw two bids for the 23-year-old rejected before an agreement was reached with Brighton, who have inserted a sell-on clause.

White has become Arsenal's third major signing of the summer after Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga, who arrived from Benfica and Anderlecht respectively.

White, who was a late call-up to Gareth Southgate's England Euro 2020 squad, signed a four-year deal that will keep him at the Emirates until 2025 after passing a medical, and will now join up with his new team-mates ahead of the Gunners' latest pre-season friendly against Chelsea on Sunday. 

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said: "Ben was a top target for us and it's great that we've completed his signing. 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.

"Ben is an intelligent defender who is very comfortable with the ball at his feet and his style fits perfectly with us. And of course, he is still young, so his age and profile fits with what we are building here. We are all looking forward to Ben being central to our future long-term plans.

The centre-back made 39 appearances for Brighton in all competitions last season as the Seagulls finished 16th in the Premier League under Graham Potter.

Prior to his debut season in the Premier League last year, White impressed on loan during Leeds' Championship title-winning side in 2019-20 which led Brighton to secure him on a new four-year contract.