- Arsenal has landed in Philadelphia for a friendly match against Liverpool this week
- A viral video captured Ben White signing a shirt for a Gunners fan in the USA
- The fan was visibly emotional, exclaiming to the right back: ‘I love you Ben’
An Arsenal fan was brought to tears of joy by Ben White during their time in Philadelphia this week.
The Gunners are in the largest city of Pennsylvania gearing up for the last game of their pre-season tour in the USA.
After drawing 1-1 with Bournemouth and defeating Manchester United 2-1 in Los Angeles, Mikel Arteta’s team is preparing to take on Liverpool at Lincoln Financial Field on Wednesday night.
An impressive attendance is anticipated, following a turnout of 62,486 fans for Arsenal’s match against United.
The enthusiasm from Arsenal’s American supporters was evident, particularly highlighted in a recently viral video.
Ben White taking a throw-in during Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Manchester United in Los Angeles
Ben White connecting with an excited fan at Subaru Park in Philadelphia this week
The touching video was filmed at Subaru Park, where the Arsenal squad have been practicing.
It captured a Gunners supporter overwhelmed with emotion upon meeting the right back.
After the fan handed his shirt through a series of metal bars, he was filmed crying tears of joy as White signed it with a pen.
‘I love you Ben,’ he choked out, to which White responded politely: ‘Thanks for coming.’
The fan then expressed his gratitude, repeating, ‘Thank you so much,’ as White returned the jersey.
Interestingly, the signed shirt did not bear White’s name, but instead featured Bukayo Saka’s name and number.
In a viral moment, the fan was seen wiping away tears as White signed his shirt
At the conclusion of the video, it was disclosed that the shirt White signed had ‘Saka 7’ on it
The touching moment gained traction on X (previously Twitter) and was shared by numerous accounts, generating thousands of reactions.
Many comments pointed out the shirt’s connection, with some questioning why the fan didn’t have White’s name on his shirt.
One user remarked: ‘If he loves him so much, why the Saka shirt?’
Another fan chimed in, ‘Saka shirt but crying for White’, alongside two crying emojis.
White, aged 28, was one of the standout performers for Arsenal last season.
The former Brighton player participated in 37 of Arsenal’s 38 Premier League matches.
In a related note, Saka finished the 2023-24 season as Arsenal’s top scorer, netting 16 goals across 35 league matches.
Arsenal is set to start their new season on August 17 with a home match against Wolves.
