William Gallas has questioned Arsenal’s decision to spend £50m on Ben White this summer.
Arsenal secured the signing of White from Brighton during the summer transfer window, with the north London side investing a huge fee in a 23-year-old with just one previous season of Premier League experience.
The deal for the England international was scrutinised further following Manchester United’s signing of Raphael Varane, the Red Devils securing the arrival of the four-time Champions League winner for a fee less than Arsenal’s outlay on White.
Gallas has now questioned the deal, with the former Arsenal captain believing the Gunners were forced to pay an inflated fee for White given his nationality.
“It’s difficult for me to understand why Arsenal spent £50million on a player who is yet to prove himself at the top level and at the same time Manchester United can spend around £40million on Varane,” he told GentingBet.
“You have to explain to me how it’s possible. Perhaps it’s partly because Ben White is English.
“Varane is a different class player compared to Ben White. Ben White is still young. As I said, he hasn’t proved anything yet. How can you put a £50million price on him, you know?”
Gallas admits he hopes that White will turn into a ‘great player’ for Arsenal, but reiterated his belief that the defender can not be compared to Varane.
“I respect him. I don’t know him. I respect him and I hope he will be the great player, but he hasn’t proved anything yet. You can’t compare Ben White and Varane, I’m sorry. It’s not possible.
“It’s not because he’s a fellow Frenchman that I’m talking like this,” he added. “He comes from Real Madrid. He didn’t come from Brighton, with all respect to them.”
It must be said, Man Utd’s £38m deal for Varane was largely down to the fact he only had a year left on he’s really with Real Madrid.
