Report: Arsenal staff think their £120k-a-week player is in amazing condition now, just before PL restarts

By Ben Evans

Arsenal are just a week away from restarting their Premier League campaign with the visit of West Ham United.

Whatever happens during the first round of matches, Mikel Arteta’s side will stay top of the league.

A report from The Athletic has given the low down on the Arsenal players who went to the World Cup.

Arsenal’s representatives were at the tournament for varying degrees of time and played very different roles.

The likes of Thomas Partey and Matt Turner were key men for their countries, but departed relatively quickly.

Meanwhile, William Saliba made it all the way to the final, but hardly played a minute.

It means Arsenal’s players will return with varying levels of fitness and match sharpness.

The report suggests that Arsenal staff think Ben White has returned from the tournament in amazing condition.

White didn’t play a minute for England, and withdrew from the squad for personal reasons at the end of the group stage.

Arteta will be pleased that the £120k-a-week defender is already ready for the season to restart.

White is in amazing condition

The 25-year-old centre-back, who has been deployed at right-back during this campaign, has already returned to action for Arsenal.

He played the first half of their 2-1 win over AC Milan in Dubai, before being replaced by Cedric Soares.

White then completed an hour of football against Juventus on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta has admitted he was really pleased with how well White played against Milan.

Football London suggest White was welcomed back by his Arsenal colleagues after leaving the England set-up.

Arsenal fans will be pleased to hear that White has returned from the World Cup in amazing condition.

They named him their Player of the Month for November, with Arsenal not conceding in their three matches last month.

Arteta has been reluctant to change his starting line-up in the league so far this campaign.

It will be interesting to see if Saliba is immediately introduced to the side so soon after his World Cup ended.

He can rely on White being alongside him already raring to go to aid Arsenal’s exceptional season so far.