Once again, Arsenal came agonisingly close to ending their two-decade Premier League title drought this season, but while fans can lament what might’ve been for a bit longer, the club must get to work ahead of the summer transfer window.
Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar have gotten their recruitment pretty much spot-on over the last few years, with players like Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Kai Havertz coming in and staking a claim in the first team.
However, one starter who perhaps doesn’t get quite the praise he should is Ben White, and based on recent reports, the club could be looking to bring in a wonderkid with some striking similarities to the right-back.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report from respected journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal are among several clubs interested in Leeds United’s young star, Archie Gray.
The Gunners, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Bayern Munich will all make “a play for him” if he becomes available this summer.
While the idea of the Peacocks selling their “generational talent”, as dubbed by Bailey, would have been unbelievable just a few months ago, their failure to win promotion back to the Premier League on the weekend could change their outlook.
It would be a tough deal to negotiate, but the last time Arteta welcomed in a player who had recently thrived at Elland Road, everything turned out rather well.
How Gray compares to White
Now, while White and Gray aren’t the same sort of player, nor are they likely to be in the long term, there are some undeniable similarities between the pair and their respective football journeys thus far.
For starters, just like the youngster, the Gunners right-back grew to prominence playing for the West Yorkshire outfit in the Championship, starting every one of the Whites’ 46 games in the season they won promotion under Marcelo Bielsa while making another three in the cup competitions.
The second similarity they share is their positional versatility.
Arteta may have signed the 26-year-old defender while he was playing as a centre-back, but after just one year at the Emirates, he was shifted out to the right, and while there were some naysayers at the time – looking at you, Mr Agbonlahor – this move has seen the star reach new levels.
However, his ability to play either out wide, in the heart of the defence, or even as a defensive midfielder is a sign of his flexibility on the pitch, which is something the Peacocks’ current “magnificent” prospect, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has shown this season.
In his 52 games for the club this season, the 18-year-old has started 30 games at right back, ten in central midfield, six in defensive midfield, and three in attacking midfield. Remarkably, he’s looked impressive in every role.
