Arsenal ready to say goodbye to Ben White with Tino Livramento his preferred replacement
Ciaran McCarthy
Arsenal are ready to offload defender Ben White, with Premier League clubs such as Everton hoping to land him, according to TEAMtalk.
White was an integral part of the Arsenal side a couple of years ago, but the signing and subsequent top form of Jurrien Timber has seen his opportunities reduced.
White has played just seven Premier League games this season, and it's reported the Gunners are ready to offload him.
The report states that the Arsenal defender has Everton on his tail, having been linked with a number of Premier League clubs in recent months. It is not clear whether the Toffees are planning to formalise their interest following the reveal that White will become available.
In any case, Arsenal have made the decision to part company with the England international, who has played 181 games in a Gunners shirt, in order to source an upgrade in defence.
It's reported that Wesley Franca, Vanderson and Nnamdi Collins are all on the list of potential options at the Emirates, though reports elsewhere state it's a Premier League man who's most wanted by Mikel Arteta's side.
Tino Livramento Arsenal's top target
FootballTransfers reported in January that Newcastle's Tino Livramento was the right-back that Arsenal were keeping a close eye on. They have reiterated that he's top of the list following the reveal on White's future.
At the time of the initial reports, it was said Livramento had been identified as the sort of profile that Arsenal were searching for at right-back.
Indeed, it's felt he is a similar style of player to Timber and could therefore fit well into the side. Like Timber and multiple members of the Gunners' defence, Livramento is capable of playing in more than one position in the back line - the sort of versatility that Arteta loves to have.
The right-back is one of a number of the big names at Newcastle who is being watched by bigger clubs at the moment, and while they won't want all of him, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Lewis Hall and Anthony Gordon to leave, they'll be hard pressed to keep all of them this summer.
Should the Premier League champions - which it looks likely the Gunners will be by the end of the season - come calling with a big sum for Livramento in the summer, it could be hard for Newcastle to say now.
Reports at present suggest they'd want £70-80million if they were to allow the right-back to leave St James' Park this summer.
