Leeds made multiple high-profile efforts to permanently recruit White from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2020, but the Seagulls turned them all down and sold him for £50 million the following year. There was undoubtedly a reason for this.
Throughout his career, White has had the chance to work with a number of elite coaches, Marcelo Bielsa undoubtedly being one of them. Bielsa significantly contributed to him raising his level of play.
White played both central defence and midfield under Bielsa. Journalist Rory Smith discussed what he once saw about the Arsenal player at Leeds that indicated he would succeed in an interview on the most recent episode of BBC 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.
White’s education under Bielsa has helped Arteta adaptation
He said: “My most impressive Ben White moment, I remember going to see Leeds in the year they got promoted, and it was at the end of the season in the bit after Covid. The stadium was empty, it was when Bielsa was at Leeds and Ben White started the game at centre half.
“Can’t remember who Leeds were playing but I think they had to win to get within two points of promotion or something. He started at centre half and it wasn’t really working in attack so Bielsa started changing it.
“There was a five minute period where Ben White had to play in four different positions and you could hear what Bielsa was shouting at him. After a while he looked completely non plussed, had no idea where he was meant to be but did as he was told and every time in the two minutes in which he had the ball he looked completely comfortable wherever he sent him.
“You could tell then he was clearly head and shoulders above most of the players on the pitch. He just looked like a hugely talented footballer.”
Mikel Arteta, like Bielsa, is known for his attention to detail, so even if his managerial career is still very much in its early stages, there’s no doubt the knowledge and skills he picked up from the Argentine have served him well.
White played centre back in his first season at Arsenal, but he has spent the previous 1.5 years at full back, where he has been increasingly effective and has looked the part.
If he hadn’t spent that time under Bielsa paying such close attention to detail, he might not have adjusted to these shifts in position at the Emirates with such ease.
