Arsenal defender Ben White has shared the message he sent to Viktor Gyökeres before the striker completed his summer transfer to the Emirates.
The pair first crossed paths at Brighton, where both spent their early years developing before taking different routes to the top. White made his £50 million move to Arsenal in 2021—a fee questioned at the time but long since justified under Mikel Arteta—while Gyökeres rose through Sporting CP before sealing his switch back to England this year.
White always rated Gyökeres
Not everyone at Brighton believed Gyökeres would make it, but White says he never had any doubts. Speaking to Arsenal.com, the England international admitted he spotted the Swede’s potential early on.
“We played together at Brighton for a long time, maybe three or four years, and I could tell even then that he was always destined for greatness. From the moment he came to Brighton, he was brought into the under-21s group, and you could see he had something special about him at that age.”
The two formed a close bond during their youth days, making their reunion at Arsenal even more meaningful.
What White told him before the transfer
Amid growing speculation about Arsenal’s interest, White decided to reach out to his former teammate.
“I spoke to him a little bit before he signed, but there was a lot going on, so I didn’t want to bother him. All I said to him was that he would love it here, but I think he knew that already.”
Gyökeres, who had set his sights on Arsenal as his preferred destination, hardly needed convincing—but White’s endorsement certainly made the transition smoother.
Their journey comes full circle
So far, the two have only shared an hour of football together in Arsenal colours. At Brighton U23 level, they combined for one goal in nine appearances, winning just three of those matches, according to Transfermarkt.
Now both 27, White and Gyökeres have transformed from promising youngsters into key first-team players at one of Europe’s elite clubs. Their paths may have diverged after Brighton, but at Arsenal, their story has come full circle—with the potential to write an exciting new chapter together.
