Arsenal star played huge role in Gunners signing Ben White | OneFootball

Despite Arsenal’s recruitment team putting in hours worth of research when manager Mikel Arteta decided to make former Brighton and Hove Albion defender Ben White his top defensive summer target, according to recent reports, one of the club’s own stars also played a big role in the Londoners’ decision to cough up £50m in exchange for the England international.

White, 23, who was officially unveiled as an Arsenal player on Friday, following a deal worth a reported £50m, has become the Gunners’ third most expensive player.

According to Transfermarkt, only striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£57.4m) and wide-attacker Nicolas Pepe (£72m) cost Arsenal more than White.

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Obviously extremely highly rated among the Gunners’ hierarchy, according to a recent report from The Athletic, prior to landing the ex-Brighton centre-back, young attacker Bukayo Saka was consulted and asked for his opinion.

White (above) and Saka (centre) were both named in Gareth Southgate’s final 26-man England squad for the Euros 2020.

The Athletic claim that Arsenal’s senior officials were keen to hear what the teenager thought of White following the pair’s time together while representing England in this summer’s delayed European Championships.

The outlet notes that Saka spoke exceptionally highly of the 23-year-old – suggesting that the Gunners took the winger’s assessment on board before reaching an agreement with Graham Potter’s side.