Ben White Returns To England Squad After Three-Year Absence, Eze Out

Arsenal defender, Ben White is back in the England fold after more than three years out, earning a recall in Thomas Tuchel’s first squad ahead of March’s friendlies.

Ben White, 27, has not played for England since a 3-0 friendly win over the Ivory Coast in March 2022. He left camp during the 2022 FIFA World Cup for personal reasons and remained unavailable throughout Gareth Southgate’s tenure.

Tuchel has named White in a 35-man squad for games against the Uruguay national football team and the Japan national football team at Wembley Stadium on 27 and 31 March.

White comes in for Jarell Quansah, who has withdrawn with a thigh injury picked up on club duty.

At club level, White’s minutes have been limited in the league, with just seven Premier League appearances, but he has been a regular in Europe, featuring in eight of Arsenal’s 10 UEFA Champions League matches en route to the quarter-finals. He also started the recent 2-0 EFL Cup Final defeat by Manchester City.

Elsewhere, Harvey Barnes has been drafted in after Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze suffered a lower leg injury, which ruled him out of the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

Barnes, a 28-year-old Newcastle United winger, has one senior England cap, won in a friendly against the Wales national football team in 2020.

He arrives in form, with 14 goals in all competitions this season, and had previously been approached by Steve Clarke over a potential switch to Scotland through family ties.