Ben White Admits He Would Be 'Over the Moon' With England Call

Ben White has made no secret of his desire to return to the England squad, after producing an assist in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Everton with Thomas Tuchel in the stands.

The England head coach was at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday as White marked his 200th appearance for the club by delivering the cross for Gabriel’s headed second goal. Speaking to The Sun after the game, the 29-year-old confirmed he hopes to be involved when Tuchel names his squad for November’s Nations League double-header.

‘Yeah, definitely,’ White said. ‘It is an amazing feeling playing for England. It’s like nothing else. If that does happen, I’ll be absolutely over the moon.’

England host Croatia at Wembley on 12 November before travelling to Madrid to face world champions Spain three days later, in the final two games of their Nations League group.

After White earned his first caps under Gareth Southgate and travelled to Euro 2020, he left the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons and spent more than three years out of the picture.

It was widely reported that he left the camp in Doha after England assistant Steve Holland made a remark about his interest in football, with White having previously shared publicly that he has no desire to watch other matches recreationally. Despite both Southgate and Holland believing the matter had been resolved, the defender asked to return home just days later.

It was only after talks with Tuchel that he made himself available again, and he was handed a recall in March, scoring on his return against Uruguay before conceding a late penalty in a 1-1 draw.

White received a hostile reception from some supporters at Wembley upon his return, but Tuchel revealed he was ‘disappointed’ by the reaction and previously explained that he believes everyone ‘deserves a second chance’.

Just two months later, his momentum was halted by a knee injury sustained in a 1-0 win at West Ham. The setback ruled him out of the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain and the World Cup, where England went on to finish third.

‘It was tough. As soon as I did it, I knew,’ White said. ‘I knew that was going to be me for the season, and I had a little cry on the way round.

‘That was it. Once I got in the dressing room, I was focused on trying to recover and get back. I literally trained every day over the summer. I didn’t really have a break, that was my aim.’

White has since started seven of Arsenal’s eight Premier League games this season and has already recorded three assists, a tally bettered only by Declan Rice within the squad.

With Reece James and Tino Livramento both suffering injures, White could be handed an opportunity in November following his recent form.

For now, he is enjoying his football at Arsenal, where the return to fitness of Jurriën Timber has allowed Mikel Arteta to share the load at right-back. The Gunners travel to Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie at Fleetwood Town, before attention turns to a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool next weekend.