Arsenal defender Ben White has reportedly decided whether to end his self-imposed England exile as interim manager Lee Carsley prepares to name his first squad.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion man has not donned a Three Lions kit since the 2022 World Cup, where he was a bit-part player before leaving the camp for personal reasons.
It was subsequently reported that White made the decision to head home following a bust-up with assistant coach Steve Holland, who allegedly made a spiky comment about the Arsenal man's interest in football.
White has said in interviews that he is able to switch off from football at home and does not always watch matches on television, although Gareth Southgate strenuously denied that there was a falling-out between the defender and his coaching staff.
In the year following the World Cup saga, Southgate was seemingly leaving White out by choice, and in November 2023, the former England boss said that a couple of players were ahead of the 26-year-old.
Ben White 'not interested' in resuming England career
However, a few months later, Southgate revealed that White had made himself unavailable for selection for the national team, and the defender's stance did not change for Euro 2024.
Following the departure of Southgate and Holland, rumours began to swirl that White could resurrect his England career under new management, but the Daily Mail claims that will not be the case.
Interim manager Carsley will name his first squad at 2pm on Thursday, as the Euro 2024 runners-up begin their new Nations League campaign against the Republic of Ireland and Finland next month.
White is reportedly not included in Carsley's ranks, though, as the 26-year-old - who boasts just four caps for the England national team - is simply not interested in returning to national team duty.
It is unclear whether White may have a change of heart again in the future, having developed into one of the Premier League's most lauded full-backs at Arsenal, where he has scored six goals and set up 10 more in 136 appearances.
What other England dilemmas is Carsley facing?
There was a time not that long ago when England appeared to have quality full-backs coming out of their ears, but White's absence, Kieran Trippier's Newcastle United demotion and injuries to Luke Shaw and Reece James leaves the Three Lions short again.
Trippier spent the majority of Euro 2024 as England's left wing-back before Shaw regained fitness in time to start the final defeat to Spain, but his Magpies usurper Tino Livramento is a viable option, as is fellow Newcastle man Lewis Hall.
Carsley must also cope without Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham for his first two matches in charge due to injury, while Curtis Jones - whom he had apparently been keen to promote from the Under-21s - is doubtful owing to a groin concern.
There is a consensus that Carsley will show no sentimentality to the old guard and instead wishes to work with several of his Under-21 stalwarts, which spells good news for Morgan Gibbs-White and Emile Smith Rowe, but Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite is also out injured.
Having both been overlooked for Euro 2024 places, Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford are also fighting uphill battles to return to the ranks, but Harry Maguire may make the cut after recovering from injury to return to the Manchester United first XI. body check tags ::
