Arsenal Closing in on Sensational Signing of Brighton Defender

• Ben White made 36 appearances for his present club Brighton and Hove Albion last season
• Arsenal are reported to be in advanced negotiations with the Seagulls over a deal which could be worth in excess of £50m
• White who is currently on England duty at Euro 2020 is now set to be Arsenal's first signing ahead of the new season

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Arsenal are in advanced talks with Brighton and Hove Albion about the potential signing of centre-back Ben White.

The deal could be worth in excess of £50m, and negotiations have taken a positive turn, according to several reports.

While Brighton have not made any public statements regarding the English centre-back, club owner Tony Bloom will not stand in the White’s way if he decides to leave the Annex Stadium, Sky Sport and Tribal Football report.

Negotiations are in advanced stages, with only personal terms and other formalities being the only things remaining to complete the deal.

White was a crucial part of Brighton’s survival in the Premier League as he made 36 appearances for the Seagulls last season, after spending the previous campaign at Leeds United.

He predominantly plays as a centre-back but can also provide cover in midfield when it comes to protecting the back four.

Thanks to his partnership with Lewis Dunk, Brighton had the joint best defence in the bottom half of the Premier League table as they finished 16th on the log, having conceded only 46 goals.

He was named in Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man squad or England and eventually made the final list after Liverpool ace Trent-Alexander Arnold pulled out with injury.

His signing will be key for Arsenal, who will need to bolster their defence, especially after the departure of David Luiz.

Arsenal are also in talks with Belgian side Anderlecht over the potential signing of Albert Sambi Lokonga, who is considered a maestro in midfield.

Man United closing in on Sancho deal

Elsewhere, Legit.ng earlier reported that Manchester United are also looking to bolster their attack and are in pole position to land Jadon Sancho in the summer.

Whereas United are yet to agree on a fee for Sancho, reports suggest their latest bid of around £75m is close to what Dortmund are demanding for the player.

Sancho was initially said to have agreed a five-year contract with United, in a deal that will see him become the club's joint-highest earner on £350k-a-week.

Man United have been long-term admirers of Jadon Sancho, with their interest in the winger dating back to 2019.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is understood to be in desperate need of a prolific right-winger and has Sancho on his wishlist.