| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Benjamin Kristian Arthur [1] | ||
| Date of birth | 9 October 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Warwickshire, England [2] | ||
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) [3] | ||
| Position(s) | Central defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Brentford | ||
| Number | 43 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Leamington Hibernian | |||
| Coventry Sphinx | |||
| –2023 | Peterborough United | ||
| 2023–2025 | Brentford | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2025– | Brentford | 0 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2023 | England U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2024 | England U19 | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:22, 17 September 2025 (UTC) | |||
Benjamin Kristian Arthur (born 9 October 2005) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Premier League club Brentford.
Arthur is a product of the Peterborough United academy and began his professional career with Brentford in 2023. He has been capped by England at youth level.
Initially a midfielder, [4] Arthur began his youth career with Leamington Hibernian and Coventry Sphinx, [5] [6] before entering the Peterborough United academy at the age of 13. [7] Despite "injury and other struggles" and with the club considering his release, [8] [9] he progressed to sign a scholarship deal in 2022 and was a central defender in the 2022–23 U18 Professional Development League Cup-winning U18 squad. [10] [11] Shortly after winning his maiden call into a first team matchday squad, [12] Arthur turned down a "substantial offer" to sign a professional contract and departed London Road on 31 August 2023. [8] [13]
On 31 August 2023, Arthur transferred to the B team at Premier League club Brentford and signed a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. [14] The fee was reported to be "close to £1 million" and "nearly a record for a League One scholar, plus millions in add-ons". [15] [16] Arthur missed the first half of the 2023–24 season with a stress fracture to his back and returned to match play in early January 2024. [9] [17] [18] An injury crisis in defence saw Arthur win his maiden call into the first team squad for a Premier League match versus Arsenal on 9 March 2024. [19] [20] He remained an unused substitute during the 2–1 defeat. [12]
Following an injury suffered during the 2024 off-season, [21] Arthur returned to match play with the B team on 23 September 2024. [22] He made 27 appearances during the 2024–25 season and was a part of the Professional Development League-winning squad. [23] Arthur's performances were recognised with the club's U21 Player of the Year award. [23] Arthur was an unused substitute in five first team matchday squads during the 2024–25 season. [23]
In July 2025, Arthur was promoted to the first team squad and signed a new six-year contract, with the option of a further year. [23] He made the first competitive senior appearance of his career with a start in an EFL Cup third round shootout win over Aston Villa on 16 September 2025. [24]
Arthur was part of England's U18 squad at the 2023 International Tournament of Lisbon and he appeared in each of the team's three matches at the tournament. [25] He won his maiden U19 call-up for a training camp and two friendlies in September 2023, [26] but was not named in either matchday squad. [27] [28] Arthur received his second call-up for two friendlies in March 2024 and won his only U19 cap with a start in a 3–2 defeat to the United States. [29] [30]
Arthur grew up in Lillington, Warwickshire. [2] While a Brentford B player, he shared accommodation with teammate Ashley Hay. [31]
| Club | Season | League | National cup [a] | League cup [b] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Peterborough United | 2023–24 [32] | League One | 0 | 0 | ― | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Brentford | 2023–24 [32] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024–25 [33] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2025–26 [34] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||