Saturday's game against Brighton & Hove Albion will be particularly significant for Ben White.
The centre back joined us from the south coast side this summer, and has made an instant impression since making the move to N5 - to the delight of his manager.
"I've been very impressed with how he handles the pressure and how he's handled the situation of coming through the Euros and paying the big fee and the composure and the calmness that he's shown," Mikel Arteta said.
"As well, the willingness to learn, to improve, because he's realised that he is still really young, still in the development process and there are things that he can improve.
"We are already enjoying [our time] together and we have to continue like that."
White has formed a strong connection with Gabriel at the heart of our defence, but Arteta insists he hasn't got a "first choice" centre-back pairing.
"They played really well at the weekend," Arteta said. "The understanding is getting better and the cohesion among the back is getting better, the more they play it will keep improving.
"We have different partnerships that will work, but certainly they played well at the weekend."
Copyright 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
