Football Today
·14 November 2024
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·14 November 2024
Arsenal defender Ben White is ready to play for England again when Thomas Tuchel officially starts work as Three Lions manager in 2025, according to talkSPORT presenter Adrian Durham.
The Gunners star last played for England against the Ivory Coast in an international friendly in March 2022.
He left the squad during the middle of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after a disagreement with former assistant coach Steve Holland.
White has not made himself available for selection since then, but the Arsenal defender is eyeing a return to the national team following Gareth Southgate’s exit.
“I’ve heard from a very good source that Arsenal’s Ben White will be making himself available for selection in March,” said Durham.
“That will be when England play for the first time under Thomas Tuchel.
“I’m fascinated to see if Tuchel thinks ‘yes, I’ll have him straight back in, he’s a top four player, he’s playing regularly for Arsenal, so he gets straight back in’.
“Or, whether he says to himself ‘this is somebody who didn’t care about England, so no I’m not going to have him back in’.”
Tuchel was appointed as the new permanent manager of the Three Lions last month but is set to begin work on January 1 next year.
Securing a spot at the 2026 World Cup is his first mission.
England interim boss Lee Carsley will be in charge for the last time for the Nations League games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland this week.
He revealed in September that White had asked not to be contacted.
It will be intriguing to see what Tuchel decides regarding the Arsenal star, but the Three Lions are not short of options at centre-back and right-back.
However, White’s versatility could appeal to the German.