Gary Neville believes Arsenal’s Ben White would play as a central defender for England at Euro 2024 – if he decided to be a part of Gareth Southgate's team.
Jamie Carragher disagrees with Neville's view and was surprised by it. He defended White's decision to step away from international football.
White requested not to be considered for England’s recent friendlies against Brazil and Belgium even though he had another impressive season with Arsenal, who are at the top of the Premier League.
It was recently disclosed that White had a disagreement with Southgate’s assistant Steve Holland during the Qatar World Cup before ultimately choosing to leave the Three Lions squad.
‘The Ben White situation interests me,’ former Manchester United captain Neville said on The Overlap. ‘We were all in Qatar last year and Ben White obviously went home.
‘It was a difficult because the reason cited at the time was mental health. Everyone obviously supported Ben over that and hoped he was well.
‘But two things happened. The first was that the news of the argument broke, we all knew about it.
‘And the next thing was, a week later, he was pictured on a bike in Dubai at an Arsenal camp. So if he was home sick and struggling… something wasn’t quite right.’
Carragher thinks he was in a ‘similar situation’ as White during his England career as both were considered ‘fourth or fifth choice’.
Considering White is behind the likes of Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Reece James and Trent Alexander-Arnold in England’s right-back pecking order, Carragher doesn't see his absence as a ‘huge story’.
But Neville sees White as a potential England starter during this summer’s Euros in Germany at centre-back, the position he mainly played at Brighton before moving to Arsenal.
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville on Ben White’s England future:
JC: ‘I was in a similar situation when I played for England. From what we know about the argument, I don’t think it was the end of the world from both sides.
‘I don’t think it should mean that someone doesn’t play again. But I think he always felt he was fourth or fifth choice and I had that feeling when I went away with England, and rightly so, because I was fourth or fifth choice.
‘And I think it’s right that Ben is viewed that way too because he’s not better than Trent, Reece James, Walker or Trippier despite doing a great job for Arsenal.
‘I don’t think that should be made into a huge story because, really, he’s not going to play anyway.’
GN: ‘He will now though. Gareth [Southgate] would play him centre-back I think.’
JC: ‘I don’t think so.’
GN: ‘Oh, he would.’
Up Next
JC: ‘He’s not even playing centre-back for his club.’
GN: ‘You watch those [England] defenders that played [against Belgium] and Ben White is playing.’
JC: ‘It’s easy to say that now but he doesn’t play centre-back for his club and you’re not going to play John Stones and Ben White together as centre-backs. But as I said I think he’s doing brilliant for Arsenal.
He is probably thinking he can use this international break to relax and prepare for the rest of the season. I wish him good luck.
After not playing in England's matches during this international break, White will come back to play in Arsenal's important Premier League match against Manchester City on Sunday.
The Gunners are at the top of the table, tied on points with Liverpool, as they get ready to go to the Etihad Stadium and play against a Man City team trying to win their fourth consecutive league title.
.
.
