Ben White to be given final England chance ahead of Euro 2024: ‘The door is open’
Gareth Southgate said the door is still open for Ben White to play at Euro 2024 but it is up to the Arsenal defender to make the first move if he wants to resurrect his England career.
White, who has won four caps and has been in England’s last two tournament squads, has made himself unavailable for international selection since returning early from the 2022 World Cup.
Southgate has admitted he would have called up the former Brighton and Leeds player if he wanted to play although his first loyalty now would be to players who helped England qualify for Euro 2024.
Declan Rice has said that he will try and persuade his Arsenal teammate to change his mind and plans to rope in his fellow Gunners Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale in his bid to bring White back.
Southgate said: “It’s really for Ben now.
“Dec is obviously in a difficult situation [when] you’re asking him about a teammate and he’s going to be careful how he says. The door is open for us.
“That’s clearly difficult ahead of the Euros, where he missed all the qualifying campaign and you’ve got players that have played all the way through but we have no idea of knowing who’s going to be available in that area of the pitch.
“We’ve lost four [defenders] to injury this camp. So, for me, it’s open. I have absolutely no issue.”
Southgate has not talked to White after Arsenal director of football Edu told the FA technical director that the defender did not want to be considered.
“No. I respected the situation as Arsenal have contacted with us,” Southgate explained.
“I don’t know any more than you. So in the end, I know the conversation I had with him last March. I felt I should back away from it a little bit. But I’ve always left the door open. I was keen to bring him in in that camp.”
