England Squad Update: Arsenal Defender White Earns National Team Recall After Year-Long Absence

Arsenal's Ben White has received his first England squad call-up since the 2022 World Cup, marking a notable return to the national team fold. The 28-year-old right-back had been absent from England duty since departing the team's camp in Qatar for personal reasons.

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White's previous stint with the national team ended with his decision to make himself unavailable for selection for the remainder of Gareth Southgate's tenure, but he is now back in the squad for upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.

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The opportunity for White's return arose after Bayer Leverkusen's Jarell Quansah withdrew from Thomas Tuchel's 35-man squad due to an injury, creating a vacancy that White has filled.

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With four England caps to his name, White last featured for the national team in a 3-0 win over the Ivory Coast in March 2022, and his recall comes as he reunites with the squad for the friendlies.

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Notably, Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, also a right-back, remains absent from the squad, missing out on the opportunity to join White and the rest of the team for the friendlies.

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Meanwhile, Eberechi Eze, White's teammate at Arsenal, has been replaced in the camp by Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes, a 28-year-old who earned his only previous England cap six years ago.

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England's schedule includes a match against Uruguay at Wembley on Friday, followed by a fixture against Japan on March 31, with White and the rest of the squad set to take to the pitch for these friendlies.