LONDON: Arsenal have signed England defender Ben White from Premier League rivals Brighton, the London club announced on Friday.
The 23-year-old, a member of England’s Euro 2020 squad, has now completed a medical.
Although no fee, nor the exact length of a “long-term” deal has been disclosed, British media reports suggest White has moved to the capital for a fee of £50 million ($70 million).
“Ben was a top target for us and it’s great that we’ve completed his signing,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told the club’s website.
“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.”
White played 36 games for Brighton last season.
“We are incredibly proud of him and what he has achieved and much credit must go to our academy, who have played such an important role in developing Ben from a younger age,” said Brighton manager Graham Potter.
Arsenal swoop for ‘£50 million’ Brighton defender White
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Arsenal swoop for ‘£50 million’ Brighton defender White
- Ben White, 23, a member of England's Euro 2020 squad, has now completed a medical
- "Ben was a top target for us and it's great that we've completed his signing," said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
Twice champion Naomi Osaka out of Australian Open
- Osaka said on social media that her body needed attention following her previous match against Sorana Cirstea
MELBOURNE: Twice Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the Grand Slam ahead of her scheduled third round match on Saturday, citing a fitness problem.
Her opponent, Australian Maddison Inglis, has a walkover into the fourth round.
Japanese 16th seed Osaka, the 2019 and 2021 winner at Melbourne Park, said on social media that her body needed attention following her previous match against Sorana Cirstea, without elaborating on the issue.
“I’ve had to make the difficult decision to withdraw to address something my body needs attention for after my last match,” she wrote.
“I was so excited to keep going and this run meant the most to me, so having to stop here breaks my heart but I can’t risk doing any further damage so I can get back on the court.”
The pull-out is a setback for Osaka, who has been returning to her best and made the US Open semifinals last year.
At Melbourne Park, Osaka made a huge splash before her opening match against Antonia Ruzic when she entered Rod Laver Arena in a jellyfish-inspired outfit, one of the boldest fashion statements seen at a Grand Slam.
