Everton are keen on Ben White this summer, but the 28-year-old defender has made it clear that he’ll turn down a move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium if Mikel Arteta confirms he still has a real part to play at Arsenal. Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that White’s choice depends entirely on getting playing time guarantees from Arteta, rather than chasing money or a fresh start elsewhere.
Brown pointed out that White is looking for answers on whether he stays as a key starter or slips into a bit-part rotation role behind Jurrien Timber. White has put in 30 appearances this season, starting 23 times and racking up 1,880 minutes, decent numbers for a squad player, but likely frustrating for a defender of his calibre.
He joined from Brighton in 2021 for around £50 million and quickly showed his value across right-back and centre-back, two spots Everton are desperate to fix. His reliability and tactical discipline made him a staple in the Arsenal side for years. But a serious medial knee ligament injury, confirmed after Sunday’s win at West Ham, has now sidelined White for the rest of the season, throwing a real curveball into his summer plans.
“It’s a difficult one with Ben White. If Arsenal win the Premier League title, as I believe they will, and the Champions League as well, why would he want to leave being a part of that squad?
The only possible reason is if he thinks he’s not going to get much playing time. He’s been back in the side recently when Timber has been injured, but when he comes back, will he drop back down to being a rotation option again?
That’s something he will have to speak to Mikel Arteta about to seek some assurances, because Arsenal are going to need to have a big squad. If he’s going to be part of that squad, then I find it difficult to imagine him leaving Arsenal.
But if he’s going to be playing a bit-part role there and wants to move on, Everton would be a very good destination for him, and he would fit in well.”
Would Everton actually benefit from signing a player returning from a knee injury?
Truthfully, the injury makes things a lot more complicated than Everton fans might want to admit. The Toffees have been crying out for a new right-back for years, with their current options getting older, and Jarrad Branthwaite’s fitness struggles this season showing how thin they are at the back.
White’s versatility fills that gap perfectly. Even so, bringing in a player fresh off a knee ligament injury is always a gamble. With his recovery timeline pointing toward the start of next season, Everton would essentially be buying him on blind faith, without seeing how sharp he looks in pre-season.
All that aside, White’s consistency and ability to adapt have always been his biggest selling points, and those traits don’t just vanish because of one injury. If Arteta won’t give him the green light, Everton look like a smart destination where White would be a weekly starter, leading the back four, not just another name in a rotation.
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