Arsenal players who aren’t away with their national teams are busy at work at the Sobha Realty Training Centre.
Mikel Arteta is putting many of his men through their paces to get them ready for the North London Derby clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Arsenal manager would ideally like to have his whole squad with him right now, but he does have a few regular starters available.
One of them is Ben White, and World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf has delivered his verdict on the Englishman’s international stance.
Arsenal’s Ben White told he will ‘regret’ his England decision
White is one of the best defenders in England.
The £50 million Arsenal star has been unbelievable under Arteta. He has been one of the most consistent performers in the entire Premier League and is good enough to play for most clubs and countries in the world.
However, White had a falling out with Steve Holland when he was a part of the England coaching setup, and he has refused to be called up for international duty since.
On ESPN, Leboeuf had his say on White’s situation, and he believes the Arsenal defender will regret his decision at some point in his career.
He said: “Ben White is going to regret it at some point. On top of it, Steve Holland is not even in the squad anymore, so what is the reason to say ‘no, I don’t want to play anymore’?
“I mean, come on, Ben White, it’s England, it’s the national team, it’s something that every kid has dreamed about, and you refuse to even say what you want to do and what the reasons are.
“Now there are no excuses or reasons why you don’t want to play for your national team. It’s sad for you. It’s sad for the country. But, for you, just for you, as a football player, you have to think about you and your career and what is best for your career.
“Yes, it’s good to play for Arsenal, Arsenal is a big club, but you have the chance to play for the Three Lions. You are missing a big opportunity to enjoy your life as a football player.”
READ MORE: Carl Jenkinson gives honest verdict on Ben White’s England decision
Ben White can take England to the next level
Every player is entitled to do what they want, and we’re sure White has his reasons to stay away from the England squad right now.
However, if that stance ever changes, the Three Lions will massively benefit from it.
Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier are at the end of their careers, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s defending is not great and Reece James is hardly ever fit.
White has consistently been better than all of the above names, and the fact that he can play in central defence as well makes him a great option to have.
However, as things stand, White’s priority is Arsenal, and everyone should respect his decision.
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