Arsenal close to agreeing new deal with key defender

Arsenal will be hoping to secure progression to the fifth round of the Carabao Cup when they travel to face West Ham United on Wednesday. 

The Gunners make the trip across the capital in fine form, having defeated Sheffield United 5-0 last time out.

An Eddie Nketiah hat-trick – as well as goals from Fabio Vieira and Takehiro Tomiyasu – earned Mikel Arteta’s side an easy victory on Saturday, keeping them just two points behind Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur.

On Wednesday they face a Hammers side that were beaten 1-0 by struggling Everton at the weekend, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 50th Premier League goal enough to earn the Toffees a crucial win.

Arteta will therefore be confident that his side can secure a place in round five, and the Spaniard could also soon be handed some more good news.

According to Football Insider, the North London outfit are close to reaching an agreement with defender Ben White over a contract extension.

White has played in all 15 of Arsenal’s games so far this season

The 26-year-old joined Arsenal from Brighton and Hove Albion back in 2021 for a fee of £50 million, and he has since established himself as one of the best central defenders in the English top flight.

The centre-back, who had previously impressed on loan at Leeds United, has since made a total of 98 appearances for Arteta’s side across all competitions.

Last term the Englishman was primarily used as a makeshift right-back, and White played a pivotal role in helping Arsenal to a second-placed finish in the Premier League.

White, who has played in all 15 of Arsenal’s games so far this season, is currently contracted to the club until the summer of 2026.

The report claims that he could soon sign an extension to that deal, though, with talks having progressed recently.

Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, and William Saliba have all signed new long-term contract extensions with the club in recent months, and it is claimed that White is set to be the next player to do so with Arteta a ‘huge admirer’ of the defender.