Arsenal: Mikel Arteta makes Ben White promise as defender pushes for England recall | OneFootball

The right-back last played for the Three Lions in March 2022

Mikel Arteta has told Ben White he will get enough opportunities at Arsenal to break into England’s World Cup squad.

The right-back has not been in any of Tuchel’s four squads so far, though, and he has started just three games for Arsenal this season.

White has been struggling for fitness, and his minutes have also taken a hit due to Jurrien Timber’s brilliant form.

Arteta, however, has reassured White that he get plenty of action before next year’s World Cup as the 28-year-old bids to break into Tuchel’s squad.

Ben White playing for England in March 2022

The FA via Getty Images

“There are still a lot of months to go, and in football, everything can change one way or the other,” said Arteta.

“If Ben wants to do that, if Thomas believes he is the right player to do so, I am so happy for him. He will have, here, I am sure a lot of minutes, a lot of opportunities.

“He had a setback, and that doesn’t help. It was an injury that kept him out for a few weeks, and we had to manage his load and he didn’t have the rhythm to do that.

“So, the reason why he has not been playing is to manage that. He is in a good place now, he has been training more recently and he has been feeling very good. He will have minutes to play.

“I think in pre-season, he probably was our best player. I think he played every game and he was in great form.

Ben is a top player for us, a player that drives the team in a different way, gives us a different threat

Mikel Arteta

White was featuring regularly for Arsenal at the beginning of last season, starting 10 of the first 17 games.

The right-back was forced to undergo knee surgery in November, however, and he was out of action for three months.

White was said to be playing through the pain barrier before going under the knife, but Arteta has stressed Arsenal would not put their players’ long-term fitness at risk.

“We want to protect our players and we’re not going to expose players if we know that we’re going to damage them for the future,” he said.

“Ben will play with anything. You really have to scratch and ask him: ‘Are you okay, are you okay?’ Because he won’t tell you because he wants to play every game, which is great.

“But with that injury, it didn’t allow him to have that consistency and hopefully now he’s going to get that rhythm, because the team needs him.”