Ben White grew up in Poole and was released by Southampton’s academy as a teenager. He rebuilt his career at Brighton, developing through loans at Newport County, Peterborough United and Leeds United, where he played every minute as Marcelo Bielsa’s team won the Championship in 2019/20.
Arsenal signed him in 2021 for around £50 million. He started at centre-back but was moved to right-back, where his intelligence, passing and understanding with Bukayo Saka made him a key part of Arsenal’s rise to title contenders.
White has been capped by England and was part of the squad at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.
Playing style
White is an intelligent, versatile defender who can play at centre-back or right-back. He is comfortable on the ball, a good passer and reads the game well. At right-back he developed an excellent understanding with Bukayo Saka, often underlapping to create space for the winger. He is also known for his professionalism and his tactical discipline, which made him one of Mikel Arteta’s most trusted players.
International career
White made his England debut in 2021 and was part of the squads at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, though he left the latter early for personal reasons.
Career in numbers
Across 11 seasons of senior club football, beginning in 2016/17, White has played 353 matches and scored 10 goals for 5 clubs. His most productive season in front of goal was 2023/24, when he scored 4 times in 51 games for Arsenal. So far in 2026/27 he has made 6 appearances for Arsenal. The full season-by-season record is in the Stats section of this profile.
