Premier League Asia Trophy - Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Ben White’s return to the England fold comes as a ‘shock’, says Tim Sherwood (Picture: Getty)
Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood says he is ‘pleased’ for Ben White but ‘shocked’ to see the Arsenal defender called up by England as a replacement for the injured Jarell Quansah.
White has not played for England since pulling out of Gareth Southgate’s squad after the side’s second group-stage match against the United States at the 2022 World Cup.
It subsequently emerged that White had been involved in a clash with heated training-ground bust-up with assistant manager Steve Holland and the 28-year-old asked not to be considered by the Three Lions after the tournament.
But last summer, after Southgate and Holland had both vacated their posts, White confirmed that he was ‘definitely available’ to represent his country again following a series of frank conversations with Thomas Tuchel.
It has been almost four years to the day since White last featured for England, when he played 45 minutes in a 3-0 victory over the Ivory Coast at Wembley.
‘I spoke to him [Tuchel] a few times,’ White explained after Tuchel had taken over the reins last year.
‘He’s such a nice, nice man – very honest. I haven’t been back for too long.
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‘So it’s just about playing now and hopefully making my way back in.’
Arsenal v Manchester City - Carabao Cup Final
White started Arsenal’s last two matches against Leverkusen and City (Picture: Getty)
England v Cote D'Ivoire - International Friendly
The defender last played for England in a friendly with the Ivory Coast in 2022 (Picture: Getty)
While White has been ready and waiting to pull on England’s colours once again, a lack of regular starts at club level have meant the call from Tuchel has not arrived – until now.
It appears Tuchel saw enough from White in his last two starts against Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen to justify a call-up for the versatile full-back, with Arsenal’s first-choice right-back, Jurrien Timber, out injured.
The former Brighton man replaces Quansah in Tuchel’s squad, while Newcastle’s Harvey Barnes comes in for Eberechi Eze, who has been forced to withdraw due to a calf problem.
The Three Lions play host to Uruguay at Wembley on Friday before returning to the stadium for a clash with Japan next Tuesday.
England squad for Uruguay or Japan friendlies
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Ben White (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Harvey Barnes (Newcastle), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)
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‘I’m shocked but pleased for Ben,’ ex-Spurs and Aston Villa boss Sherwood said on Sky Sports News while reacting to the news.
‘Once you get games for a big club, top of the league like Arsenal, why shouldn’t you get the England call-up?
‘Obviously he had a fallout with the previous regime and Thomas Tuchel has cleaned the slate, obviously, looking at what’s best for the country rather than what is best for individuals.’
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Though happy for White, Sherwood is taken aback that Real Madrid superstar Trent Alexander-Arnold continues to be overlooked by Tuchel despite the injuries to Eze and Quansah.
He added: ‘It’s interesting now that Thomas Tuchel has picked 37 players with Harvey Barnes and White and there’s still no Trent Alexander-Arnold.
‘That’s incredible for me, I can’t understand that, but he’s the manager.’
Bayer 04 Leverkusen v FC Bayern München - Bundesliga
Quansah has pulled out of England’s squad through injury (Picture: Getty)
But while Sherwood does not necessarily agree with Tuchel’s treatment of Alexander-Arnold, he praised the German’s ruthlessness and bravery to leave out such a high-profile and ‘incredible’ player.
‘I like that in a manager, he’s not afraid to make big decisions,’ he went on.
‘Whether I think they’re correct or not, I think if you can’t have Trent Alexander-Arnold in you’re squad then we must have some squad.
‘He’s an incredible player.’
Arsenal FC v Bayer 04 Leverkusen - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg
The injured Eze has been replaced by Newcastle winger Barnes (Picture: Getty)
When announcing his 35-man squad for England’s double-header, Tuchel admitted the decision to omit Alexander-Arnold was a ‘tough’ one.
The former Chelsea and PSG boss said it was up to those players who had been included to prove that they ‘deserved’ their spots when facing against Uruguay and Japan.
‘I know very well what Trent can offer us,’ Tuchel told reporters.
‘I played many times against him and suffered when he played against my teams with Liverpool. So I know very well about his strength and what he can give.
Arsenal v Manchester City - Carabao Cup Final
White’s call-up comes less than 24 hours after Arsenal’s painful Carabao Cup loss to City (Picture: Getty)
‘But at the moment it is like we have evidence how good we were in September, October, November, and the players who are in camp for right full-back, they have to push for their ticket, they have to compete, they have to show again that they deserve this.’
Tuchel continued: ‘I know that it’s a tough decision for Trent as it is for Ollie Watkins at the moment and for Luke Shaw. These tough decisions come with the job. It is a sporting decision.
‘It is a sporting decision that we stick with Quansah, with Tino Livramento and with Djed Spence. It is a decision for Dominic Solanke and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who I don’t know as well as I know, for example, Ollie Watkins.
‘I feel I have a very clear picture of what Ollie can give us. I saw him in tournaments. I saw him with us in qualifying football, so I want to have a look at two other players to get a better picture and have a clearer opinion.
‘I know it’s a tough one. I know it’s a big name. I think it’s a huge talent and with a big career, but I feel that I know what Trent can give us and decided still to stick to the players who were in camp.’
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