Thomas Tuchel's first quandary as England manager could be persuading Arsenal defender Ben White to return to the international fold.
White has become an integral part of Mikel Arteta's setup following his £50million transfer from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer of 2021. Despite his importance at club level, the adaptable defender, capable of playing both right-back and centre-half, has not featured for England since withdrawing from the squad during the 2022 World Cup.
The Football Association cited "personal reasons" for his departure from Gareth Southgate's camp. It was widely reported that a "barbed comment" from Southgate's assistant, Steve Holland, led to White's decision to make himself unavailable for subsequent England call-ups.
Tuchel, who previously managed Chelsea, has acknowledged the need to reach out to White, who has earned four caps for England. Yet, convincing him to don the Three Lions jersey again might not be straightforward.
The Telegraph claimed the incident involved Holland directing a question to Kyle Walker about Manchester City's 2021-22 Premier League season performance. When White was unable to answer a similar question, Holland reportedly insinuated that it was due to White's lack of interest in football.
White has previously admitted that neither he nor his family are avid football fans. The defender enjoys playing the game but confesses that he seldom watches it when he's off-duty.
Southgate revealed in a press conference before Euro 2024 that he got a call from Edu, the ex-sporting director at Arsenal, who advised that White is not interested in international selection. With Tuchel now steering the ship, questions arise over whether White's detachment from the national team will persist.
Tuchel, who secured a Champions League title for Chelsea, plans to get in touch with White to gauge his mindset regarding England duty. Tuchel recently said: "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'."
Former England skipper Alan Shearer has also pleaded to Tuchel to encourage White to return to the England scene. Shearer told Betfair: "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 part of the Euro 2020 squad that made it to the final in the tournament, that was delayed to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but he didn't play a minute for the Three Lions. His most recent international appearance dates back to 2022, in a friendly against Ivory Coast at Wembley.
At club level, White has become indispensable to Arteta securing his spot as the first-choice right-back. However, breaking into the England team has been a challenge for White, given the competition from established players like Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James.
But with Walker's form dipping and James being plagued by injuries, the path to the England team seems increasingly open for White. Additionally, Tuchel's preference for a three-man central defence could potentially provide White with a solid opportunity to make the squad – and the chance to feature at the 2026 World Cup still awaits White.
