One of the first challenges for Thomas Tuchel as the new England manager will be to win over Arsenal's Ben White. The 27-year-old has been a key player for Mikel Arteta since his £50million move from Brighton and Hove Albion in summer 2021.
However, the versatile right-back, who can also play at centre-half, has not been part of the England squad since leaving the Three Lions at the 2022 World Cup. The Football Association stated he left Gareth Southgate's team due to "personal reasons".
It is thought that a "barbed comment" from Southgate's assistant Steve Holland upset White, who has since made himself unavailable for every subsequent squad. New boss and former Chelsea manager Tuchel recently said he will be reaching out to White, who has four international caps for the Three Lions.
But persuading the defender to play for his country may be easier said than done. According to The Telegraph, during a group discussion with the rest of the squad, Holland asked Kyle Walker a question about Manchester City's performance in the 2021-22 Premier League season.
When White said he did not know the answer to a similar question, Holland is believed to have told him it was 'because White was not sufficiently interested in football'.
While White has openly discussed his casual approach to following football as a spectator, preferring the pitch over the screen at home, his commitment to international duty surfaces questions.
Southgate revealed, during a media gathering, that Edu, former Arsenal sporting director, called him to convey White's reluctance about playing for England's national side.
In the aftermath of Southgate’s press conference revelation, attention pivots to Tuchel, who is prepped to assume the mantle and reach out to White. The ex-Chelsea manager, with a Champions League victory under his belt, is poised to connect with White to gauge his willingness to don the England jersey once more.
Tuchel declared: "Yes, I will reach out to him. It should be a clean start and a clear narrative. It starts from January. I will be in the stadiums from January. I will also not distract the players and they should just know: 'Okay, the boss is there from January.'"
He has spoken of his plan to respect the hustling schedule of Premier League players come January.
Meanwhile, Alan Shearer, England's former skipper, has publicly pressed Tuchel to resolve the brewing concerns around White’s international career, sharing his thoughts with Betfair. He said: "With Thomas Tuchel taking charge in the New Year, I wonder if it is a chance to see Ben White come back into the England fold.
"White's situation is a strange one, and I for one don't know the background; we all hear different rumours as to why he left the England camp or why he doesn't want to be selected, but I don't know whether they're true.
"I suspect that Thomas Tuchel will want to have a conversation with Ben or Arsenal and try to find out why he doesn't want to be selected if that is the case. If Ben doesn't, then you must respect that, and that doesn't mean I agree with it, but you have to respect it.
"Thomas Tuchel will likely have a conversation with him and see whether he's open to coming back into the squad."
White was in the Euro 2020 squad which reached the final in the delayed tournament – due to the Covid-19 pandemic – in 2021, but did not make a single appearance for the Three Lions. The last of his four international caps came all the way back in 2022, in an international friendly with the Ivory Coast at Wembley Stadium.
He has become an integral player for Arteta's Arsenal, though, establishing himself as the Spaniard's first-choice right back. Forcing his way into the England set-up was tricky for White, as he had to compete with Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James.
However, with Walker's form dipping and James plagued by injuries, the door to the England squad seems wide open for White. Furthermore, Tuchel's preference for a three-man defence could also provide White with a golden opportunity to make the squad if he changes his approach.