The saga concerning Arsenal defender Ben White and his involvement at international level for England has now taken another turn.
Arsenal right-back Ben White has been in the headlines for the last week or two.
Gareth Southgate recently revealed that White has requested to no longer be considered for international duty.
The 26-year-old’s decision was not met with approval in all quarters. Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp hit out against White, aiming a furious rant at the Arsenal man for his decision to snub the Three Lions.
However, it now seems that White’s international career may not be entirely dead and buried.
Gareth Southgate extends England invitation to Ben White
As quoted by The Independent, Southgate recently offered the Arsenal man an opportunity to reconsider. He said, “it’s really for Ben now…The door is open for us…I know the conversation I had with him last March. I felt I should back away from it a little bit. But I’ve always left the door open.”
England are currently facing something of a crisis at right-back, as the likes of Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Reece James, and Trent Alexander-Arnold have all had their fitness concerns.
On top of that, on current form, White is absolutely worthy of a key role in the England setup. He has been consistently excellent for Mikel Arteta’s side this season, and has the capacity to thrive at the very highest level.
The reasons for White’s disinterest in playing for England are only partially known and understood. However, it is easy to see why Southgate may now feel increasingly desperate to tempt the former Brighton and Hove Albion man back into the international fold, with EURO 2024 coming up this summer.
However, journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that there is little chance of White changing his mind when it comes to playing for England again in the immediate future.
What Arsenal now need from Ben White
The player will now be fully focused on goings on at Arsenal. The international break is now drawing to a close, and the Gunners have a huge Premier League clash coming up on Sunday, when they will travel to the Etihad Stadium to take on the reigning champions, Manchester City.
Like every other member of the Arsenal rearguard, White will have to be at his absolute best against Pep Guardiola’s men. There is certainly pressure on him to perform off the back of his time in the glare of the national media spotlight.
White has been hailed by his Arsenal teammates for his “warrior” spirit, which he will need to lean on in the coming weeks.