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Ben White is not in the England squad. It’s not exactly headline news – he’s not Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane or even Kyle Walker – but it’s perhaps more significant than some think.
Because the first-choice right-back of the team at the top of the Premier League has not been picked by his country. His side are the best defensively in the hardest league in Europe, he registered two assists at the weekend and somehow, he continues to be left out of Gareth Southgate’s squad.
So why’s he not a part of the plans?
Ben White has asked not to be considered for England, according to Gareth Southgate
Ben White has apparently asked his manager not to be included for selection. Southgate has responded to the Arsenal star to tell him that the door is open – but admits he isn’t 100 per cent sure why White doesn’t isn’t playing for England.
It’s a massive shame… because he’s the best player to start in that role for the Three Lions this summer.
While England have a plethora of top right-backs at their disposal, there are still question marks over several of them. Walker has lost a degree of his physicality over the last year, as highlighted by FourFourTwo’s Adam Monk, our resident Manchester City fan. Reece James is injured. Kieran Trippier has struggled for form in this past year, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is almost certainly just seen as a midfielder now.
Ben White, meanwhile, can play as a centre-back or a right-back, giving him added versatility from the off. He is defensively sound, has shown this season that he’s capable of inverting into midfield and he’s able to provide an overlap down the flank. While some players have been specialists for England in the past, with specific traits for managers to build around, White is one that slots into most systems and alongside most other players. He gets the best out of others.
Including Bukayo Saka, who he already has an established relationship with at Arsenal. Southgate could drag and drop that partnership into his own side.
It would be extremely unfair to speculate why the defender left the England camp in Qatar, given that all the FA asked was for “the player’s privacy [to be] respected,” with no reason given for the withdrawal, other than “personal reasons”. We won’t poke at that – despite the rumours online.
Simply, no one knows for sure why White looks likely to miss Euro 2024 – except for White himself.
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