I'm an Arsenal legend – my view is clear on Ben White and his England situation

Ben White's decision to turn down England in favour of his well-being should not be held against him, according to Arsenal great Lee Dixon.

White has been noticeably missing from the England setup since March 2022, after choosing to depart the World Cup squad that year for personal reasons. That choice also saw him excluded from Gareth Southgate's plans for Euro 2024 - not out of oversight but rather preference.

As Southgate's tenure concluded post-Euro competition, many speculated whether White might seize the opportunity for an England comeback. It was interim manager Lee Carsley, though, who cleared the air by sharing that White personally requested to remain out of reach - signalling no imminent desire for a return to international play, an attitude Dixon thinks warrants no negative judgement.

Confronted with questions about White ahead of his first round of competitions as the temporary England manager, Carsley said: "As far as I'm aware, he [White] wasn't available for selection. Nothing's changed in my two weeks of being here." On whether there were any efforts to persuade White to reconsider, Carsley stated firmly: "I've not planned to, no. As far as I'm aware, he has asked to be not contacted," reports the Express.

Now, Dixon has weighed in on White's England situation, pointing out the autonomy the defender holds regarding his international future. He said: "It's not for me to say whether or not Ben White's international career is over," as reported by the Mirror. "The only person that knows that is Ben himself, but whatever he decides to do is absolutely fine by me.

"If he decided that he wanted to play for England, then I think Lee Carsley would pick him in his squad tomorrow because he's a fantastic footballer. The previous manager would have done the same thing, but both have been told that he's not available so what can they do?"

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He continued, emphasising respect for White's choices: "I certainly won't judge Ben for any decision that he makes on his international future. I will completely respect his decision regardless. As long as he and his family are happy, that is all that matters."

After signing for a hefty £50million from Brighton in 2021, White has become a mainstay in Arsenal's line-up under Mikel Arteta. Starting as a centre-half, often in a back-five, White has impressively adapted to the role of right-back, proving pivotal to the Gunners' challenge for the Premier League title and keeping the door open for an England recall if he wishes to step back onto the international stage.