Arsenal identify Ben White alternative — €100m release clause to be an obstacle

Arsenal have found their Ben White replacement in case the Englishman leaves the club this summer.

Matheuzinho of Brazilian giants Corinthians has been on the club’s radar since last year, according to Sport Witness.

The 25-year-old has played the full 90 minutes in three of his club’s four Brazilian Serie A matches in the new season, while he was rested in his club’s 1-1 draw with Cruzeiro on 25 February.

He has contributed five goals and eight assists in 122 matches for Corinthians since joining from Flamengo for €4 million in 2024. In 152 appearances for Flamengo, he had four goals and 11 assists.

Matheuzinho is reported to have a €100 million release clause for international clubs, which Arsenal would surely want to negotiate down.

Matheuzinho interest puts Ben White’s future in doubt

White’s playing time for the Gunners has decreased over the past two seasons thanks to injuries and the stability provided by first-choice right-back Jurrien Timber.

The 28-year-old appeared in 134 matches between 2021/22 and 2023/24, and he switched from centre-back to right-back in 2022/23 after William Saliba arrived back at the club after three seasons of loans to his native France.

White handled the switch well, posting six goals and 10 assists between 2022/23 and 2023/24. He has become second-choice since Timber returned from the ACL injury that kept him out for most of 2023/24, and a knee injury to White in November 2024 provided Timber with an extended run in the team, from which he has not looked back.

The ex-Leeds United and Brighton & Hove Albion player has been loosely linked with a move away from North London in recent transfer windows, and with Arsenal having identified a potential replacement, this summer may be when a deal is finally struck.

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers’ new app for all of football’s big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•Google Play

•App Store