Arsenal Set Sights on Landing Leeds Loanee Ben White in the Summer

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Arsenal are lining up a summer move for highly-rated Leeds United loanee Ben White, who has caught the eye during his spell at Elland Road this campaign.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta sees White as a solution to Arsenal's defensive woes and the on-loan Brighton star impressed when Leeds made the trip to the Emirates earlier in the season.

Leeds faced ​Arsenal in the third round of the competition in January, and the centre-half's competent performance has appears to have left a lasting impression on Arteta. 

According to ​Football Insider, the Spaniard has stepped up his interest in the 22-year-old and the north London side are monitoring White's progress very closely.

Remarkably, White has played every single minute of Leeds' promotion-chasing campaign and has been the stand out in a defence that has only shipped 30 goals in 37 league games.

Arteta is yet to find his main central defensive partnership, with the Spaniard deploying combinations of David Luiz, Sokratis, Shkodran Mustafi and Pablo Mari in his search for a preferred pairing.

His failure to find a favourable duo has led to pinpointing White as a potential summer recruit but Arteta is not the defender's only admirer, and faces stiff competition to land the ​Brighton star. 

​Liverpool, Leicester and ​Manchester United are amongst a host of clubs in the race for the defender's signature.

Arteta has earmarked defence as an area in need of improvement and stiffen up a leaky backline that has already conceded 36 times in the ​Premier League this campaign.

White is very much of the Arsenal mould, a ball-playing centre-half who also completes his defensive duties in a calm and assured manner.