Why isn’t Ben White in the England squad?
ARSENAL star Ben White has been left out of the latest England preliminary squad ahead of the Euros this summer.
Gareth Southgate picked 33 players to play in the upcoming warm-up matches before the tournament gets underway on Friday, June 14.
And White has been left out once again despite his superb form for Arsenal last season.
Why is Ben White not in the England squad?
Southgate said: “I didn’t speak to Ben White. As far as I am aware, he isn’t available to us”.
The England gaffer previously stated “Clearly on form, I can’t sit here and say he doesn’t deserve to be here.
“[FA technical director] John McDermott had a call from [Arsenal sporting director] Edu last night saying Ben didn’t want to be considered for England squads.
“It’s a great shame, he’s a player I really like, a player we took to the Euros, a player I took to the World Cup.
“I spoke to him post-Qatar because I was keen to pick him, there was clearly reticence on his side. I don’t know fully why that is, but I have to respect that.
“I want to leave the door open to him, he’s a good player, a player who can make a difference for England, but he’s not available to us.”
What else has been said?
Arsenal team-mate Declan Rice mentioned that he would have a chat with White to see if he could persuade him to play.
Before the Belgium friendly, Rice said: “When I get back I can have a conversation with him [White] and see the ins and outs and see what he thinks.
“I would love him to come. I think Bukayo (Saka) would. I think Aaron Ramsdale would.
“I think we’re all going to be on him when we get back to say… hopefully, he can change his mind but I don’t know the ins and outs of that conversation.”
Meanwhile, Gunners legend Nigel Winterburn told SunSport: “I am surprised, but I never try to predict what England managers do with players.
“But I am surprised, he was initially in the last squad so if he was in the last England squad, I don’t understand why he wouldn’t be in this squad.
“Unless Gareth Southgate has left him out because he wants to look at other players.
“Ben White hasn’t made that many appearances for England, so I would think he deserves a look in, so it’s a surprising decision to me.
“Especially when you see some of the players in that squad and the club form they’re currently producing.
“But we’ve seen this with Gareth Southgate, and I’ve spoken about it on different occasions when we talk about Jordan Pickford.
“People were criticising [Jordan] Pickford and saying he should be left out, but I’ve always said you’ve got to look at it from Gareth Southgate’s point of view.
“When he’s come in and played for England, he’s never done anything wrong so how do you leave him out?”