Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker have reacted to news that Arsenal defender Ben White hasn’t made the provisional England squad for Euro 2024.
Plenty of Arsenal players are gearing up for a huge summer in Germany, with Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale named in the England squad.
Both players are expected to make the final cut as Gareth Southgate will name his 26-man squad on Friday, June 7.
But there is still no place for Ben White, who hasn’t featured for the Three Lions since leaving the World Cup in Qatar back in November 2022.
The 26-year-old has starred for Arsenal this season and based on form alone, White should be in the squad.
Southgate revealed back in March that White doesn’t want to be considered for England at this time, while also playing down rumours of a fallout between the defender and his assistant Steve Holland.
Now, Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker have urged the pair to ‘sort out’ whatever has happened to lead to White not wanting to represent his country.
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Lineker and Shearer reacts to Ben White’s England situation
Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Lineker picked Kyle Walker over White in his Premier League Team of the Season.
But the former England striker discussed White’s decision to not play at the Euros this summer.
“It was between him [Walker] and Ben White for me,” Lineker said. “I think Ben White has had an absolutely brilliant season and he’s a superb player.
“I just hope and wish there was a way that Gareth Southgate could make his peace with him and get him out there because obviously with the injuries England have got at the minute, particularly in full-back positions, I suspect he could play anywhere across the back four because he was a central defender of course.
“I think he’d be a really good addition. I understand it’s some kind of fallout with the number two, or possibly that but I mean, come on!”
“Such a shame,” Shearer added. “Bloody hell man! You’ve got a Euros tournament and you’ve had a season like Ben White has had and he’s not going to be in that England squad, it’s just such a shame. Come on guys!
“Whatever it is, whatever the reason, you’ve got to sit down and clear the air to sort it out for the sake of playing for our country. You’ve got an unbelievable chance of winning the Euros yet he’s not going to play a part of that after the season he’s had. What a mess. What a shame!”
“I totally agree,” Lineker went on. “Let’s sit down around a table and just, you know, things happen in football, we have fallouts. But come on! We’re all grown-ups here, aren’t we?”
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What Gareth Southgate has said about Arsenal star White
Southgate named his 33-man provisional squad ahead of the Euros on Tuesday and there were plenty of welcome surprises.
The likes of Adam Wharton and Jarell Quansah received their first call-ups while Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson missed out.
And when asked if he had spoken to White before picking his squad, Southgate said: “No. As far as I am aware he’s not available to us.”
It is a real shame that White won’t be heading to the Euros after the £50 million man has been one of the standout defenders in the Premier League this season.