Arsenal have reportedly opened talks with centre-back Benjamin White over a new contract which will keep him at the club beyond his current contract which runs until 2026.
Reports have suggested that the Gunners have offered White a long-term deal and negotiations regarding the same have commenced despite his current contract having three years left on it.
The new contract is being seen as a reward for the Englishman’s performances for the club since his widely criticised £50 million arrival in 2021.
The Englishman is rumoured to be earning £120,000 per week currently. The new deal, if agreed upon, will surely see the 25-year-old receive a pay rise.
After starting off as a centre-back at the Emirates, the defender has filled in at right-back for most of last season and the start of this season. He has not only proved many pundits and observers wrong but also impressed them along with the Arsenal faithful.
White played in all 38 Premier League games for Arsenal last season, having started in all but two of them. He played 32 games the season prior to that and has also started all of the Gunners’ games in all competitions so far this season.
Also Read: Gabriel Martinelli injury update: Arsenal suffer another injury blow
Manager Mikel Arteta clearly sees him as an integral part of the young Arsenal squad that hopes to challenge for the Premier League title yet again this season.
Initial reports about Arsenal offering White a new contract came out in May of this year but those reports soon went cold. The rumours have now picked up again after respected journalist Fabrizio Romano reported on the potential deal during the past week.
The negotiations surrounding the new deal are expected to take long, as with any contract, but it is being reported that Arsenal are determined to initiate talks as soon as possible.
The Gunners are also said to be working on renewing captain Martin Odegaard’s contract as the Norwegian’s current deal runs out in 2025. He is also expected to be receiving a significant pay rise if the deal is agreed.
They have also extended the deals for several of their key players since the start of last season. William Saliba, Aaron Ramsdale, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Reiss Nelson have all been handed new long-term deals in the recent past.
Arsenal fans will surely be hoping to see White commit to a long-term future at the club, after the announcement of Martin Odegaard signing a contract till 2028.
