Arsenal agree £50m transfer; ‘really serious’ about £34m deal

Arsenal have agreed a fee with Brighton for Ben White, while they are ramping up their interest in Manuel Locatelli, according to reports.
It has been widely reported since before the Euros that the Gunners were pursuing a deal for White with Brighton rejecting their initial £40m offer back in June before an improved £47m offer was turned down too.
Since then the potential transfer has gone a bit quiet with White part of the England squad which reached the final of Euro 2020 this month.
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Sky Sports claimed yesterday that White ‘wants a move to Arsenal to happen’ and the centre-back ‘feels the time is right for a new challenge’.
And Sky Sports came with a fresh report on Saturday morning with news Arsenal have ‘agreed a deal’ with Brighton for White, ‘for a fee believed to be around £50m’.
There is ‘still work to be done before the transfer can be finalised’ with White ‘ expected to take a medical when he returns from holiday on July 26’.
That news comes as the Gunners are apparently stepping up their interest in Sassuolo midfielder Locatelli, who is also being linked with Serie A side Juventus.
Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) claims that Arsenal are ‘really serious’ about landing Locatelli, who scored two goals for Italy at Euro 2020.
The north Londoners are aiming ‘for a sensational overtaking’ of Juventus in the race for the 23-year-old. To do that they are planning on ‘taking advantage of the investment capacity that allows them to satisfy Sassuolo’s request: €40m cash’.
Locatelli would prefer to join Italian giants Juventus with Arsenal not in Europe this season but the Gunners’ intentions ‘risks becoming an increasingly serious threat’ to the Old Lady’s hopes of signing the midfielder.
Sassuolo have told Juventus that they ‘must accelerate to defuse the Arsenal danger’ with their fellow Serie A club failing to meet their demands for Locatelli.
Meanwhile, a report in The Athletic yesterday claimed that the Gunners wanted to make seven signings this summer, with two central midfielders on their list.