Glen Johnson believes Ben White could be tempted by a move to Liverpool if guarantees are not made over his playing time at Arsenal.
The versatile defender has been a crucial part in the Gunners’ development under Mikel Arteta since he signed from Brighton for £50million in 2021.
But persistent injuries, allied to Jurrien Timber’s sensational form since his arrival at the club, have seen White slip down the pecking order over the last two seasons.
White made just nine Premier League starts last season, with another major knee injury scuppering his faint hope of making Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for this summer’s World Cup.
Don’t miss a World Cup moment
Lionel Messi’s hat-trick. Cape Verde’s heroics. Those Scottish fans.
It’s been a memorable World Cup so far – our daily newsletter helps you make the most of it. Sign up.
And with Arsenal keen to strengthen further ahead of next season’s title defence, White is one of several players facing an uncertain future at the Emirates.
The Gunners will likely need to sell squad players to raise funds for incomings, with reports earlier this summer indicating that White is one player whom Arsenal and Arteta are happy to let go for the right price.
And former England full-back Johnson believes that the 28-year-old could be a shrewd acquisition for his former club Liverpool if White is seeking more regular minutes.
‘I guess it depends on the Arsenal situation,’ Johnson told Bet St George. ‘If they view him as their number one right-back, I don’t imagine he’d leave the champions.
‘It all depends on how Mikel Arteta sees him, was he just filling in for a successful team, or does he really view him as the main man at right-back for Arsenal?
‘If it’s the latter, then he will be available for Liverpool and he could be a good pick-up.’
Danny Murphy: White to Liverpool would ‘make sense’
Speaking earlier in the season, former Reds midfielder Murphy endorsed a potential move for White, telling BoyleSports: ‘Ben White to Liverpool would make sense but Arsenal might not want to sell to a rival.
‘It would depend on how adamant the player is that he wants to go. If Ben White was an option, I think that would be a good option for Liverpool.
‘I think he’s a really good footballer, he’s a big lad. Yes, he’s had a couple of injury problems recently, but he’s an experienced guy, he’s played a lot of games and he can play centre-back and right-back.’
Elsewhere, Johnson said Liverpool could also look to lure Jarell Quansah back to Anfield as they look to bolster their defensive options over the summer window.
Quansah left his boyhood club for Bayer Leverkusen only a year ago, but has impressed in the Bundesliga and become an important member of Tuchel’s England World Cup squad.
‘It sometimes doesn’t look great when you sell someone and then it appears to be a mistake when you buy them back,’ Johnson said.
‘However, if the deal is sensible, I don’t think it looks embarrassing because Jarell Quansah might not be the player he is today if he hadn’t made that move.
‘It is almost like letting him go out on a loan deal. If they sold him for about thirty-five million and it costs about twenty million to sign him back after he gained all that experience, that’s pretty cheap in the current market.
‘I think they should definitely look at that.’
On Friday, Liverpool confirmed that Ibrahima Konate will join Real Madrid on a free transfer after failing to agree terms on a new contract at Anfield.
Young French defender Jeremy Jacquet is already joining Liverpool after agreeing a move in January, but the Reds are expected to target more defensive additions for new manager Andoni Iraola.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.