Leicester City once turned down a player after a trial who has since become a ‘world-class’ asset for Premier League rivals Arsenal.
Leicester host Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime. Ahead of the clash, the Foxes have been reminded of the history between the two clubs.
Jamie Vardy previously explained why he rejected Arsenal when they were managed by Arsene Wenger, with his head and heart telling him to remain at the King Power Stadium.
Gunners legend Martin Keown was also told to leave Leicester on a free transfer back in January 2005 after only joining from Arsenal in the summer of 2004.
Keown had previously won a staggering 10 trophies in North London, including three Premier League titles and three FA Cups.
These aren’t the only two stories involving both clubs, as Leicester once rejected a player on trial who has since become a Premier League stalwart.
Leicester City once rejected the chance to sign Ben White after trial
Letting quality players slip through the net is part and parcel of being a football club. That is why it’s hardly surprising the Foxes once rejected Arsenal defender Ben White.
After the Englishman suffered the blow of being released by Southampton at the age of 16, he was eventually picked up by Brighton, but suffered many setbacks in between, including an unsuccessful trial at Leicester.
“I didn’t know if I wanted to carry on. It was obviously tough not being wanted,” White said via The Guardian in 2022. “I wasn’t good enough when I was younger. I was a late developer. I was probably as tall as I am now but really skinny, gangly, couldn’t really run.
“I went to Bristol Rovers on trial for three days. I only did two because we were literally just running up hills. Didn’t get a football out at all and it absolutely killed me, I couldn’t do it. Then I got a trial at Leicester, they didn’t offer me anything.”
Admitting he ‘wasn’t good enough’ at the time suggests Leicester were correct to not offer him a contract but in the years that followed, he’s developed into a quality defender, with some even dubbing White as ‘world-class’ at Arsenal.
Ben White is now one of the Premier League’s best
Since completing a £50 million transfer from Brighton to Arsenal in 2021, the 27-year-old has emerged as one of the Premier League’s best defenders.
The former Seagulls star has been out of action since November with a knee injury but before that, he was outstanding as an attacking full-back in Mikel Arteta’s system.
As highlighted by FBref, the England international ranks in the top 15% for non-penalty goals compared to full-backs across Europe and the top 20% for progressive passes across the past year.
White is in contention to face Leicester this weekend after being out for three months and some believe his return, along with Bukayo Saka, could propel Arsenal back into the title race.
In 146 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions, White has amassed six goals and 11 assists, with the defender no doubt keen to add to those totals.