Journalist Fabrizio Romano has now shared his verdict on if there is any chance of Arsenal star Ben White changing his England stance.
Arsenal defender Ben White has been in the headlines this week for his position on playing for England.
The right-back has amassed four England caps in his career so far, but has not featured in a Three Lions squad since he left the 2022 World Cup in Qatar early, without having made an appearance in the competition. Gareth Southgate recently revealed that White has asked not to be considered for international duty at this time.
The 26-year-old is a fan-favourite at the Emirates Stadium. He is one of Mikel Arteta’s most trusted players, and can be relied upon to deliver week in, week out for the Gunners. Arsenal recently rewarded White with a new long-term contract.
However, whatever connection exists between White and Arteta is not shared between the player and Southgate.
Of course, Southgate won’t be in charge of England forever, and when he leaves that post the majority of his coaching staff are likely to depart with him. It will be fascinating to see, when this time comes, if White reconsiders his position on playing for his country.
Will Ben White ever play for England again?
Fabrizio Romano has now offered his insight into this matter. As quoted by Caught Offside, the reporter said, “I can tell you that the position of the player was announced last week to Gareth Southgate. He was informed of the news by Arsenal, and the feeling of those close to Ben White is that this situation is not going to change in the short-term. This is a very clear position from the player at the moment, it’s considered to be serious and he wants to be respected. We will see if one day Ben White will change his mind but at the moment he’s not changing his position.”
In terms of his quality, White certainly has plenty to offer England. Whilst Southgate is well-stocked for right-back options, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier are both getting on in years, Reece James has persistent injury issues, and Trent Alexander-Arnold has his frailties as a defender.
On top of being an excellent right-back, White can also operate comfortably in the heart of the defence, where England do not currently boast the same level of strength in depth.
At some stage in the future, it would be nice to see the Arsenal man come back into the international fold. In the meantime, though, Arteta certainly won’t mind the extra rest that White is getting over the course of the international break.
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