Thomas Tuchel holds talks with Arsenal's Ben White over shock England call-up

Tuchel will take charge of his first two games as England manager next month after officially starting his role as head coach at the beginning of the year.

The former Chelsea boss will begin his reign with two 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Lativa on February 21 and 24 respectively.

In December, Tuchel revealed that he would "reach out" to Arsenal's White to establish whether he wants to end his international exitle.

The 27-year-old has not played for his country since featuring in a 3-0 friendly win against the Ivory Coast in March 2022.

Tuchel holds White talks

White left England's World Cup camp later that year, before he expressed a desire not to be considered for selection by Tuchel's predecessor, Gareth Southgate.

According to The Telegraph, Tuchel has followed through on his promise to make contact with the former Leeds United defender.

Tuchel has spoken to White as part of his preparation for his first round of England fixtures, with the new head coach keen to build a detailed overview of the players that could be valuable members of his squad.

The report claims that the German's research missions have seen him attend over 20 live matches in four different countries, talking to players in person or via video calls.

While White is among those that Tuchel has spoken to, it is currently unclear whether he is willing to be considered for selection.

How has White fared this season?

Tuchel is expected to name his first squad in around talks, with Arsenal set to back White no matter the decision he makes over his international future.

However, even if he makes himself available for selection, there is no guarantee that he will be included in Tuchel's squad, especially as he has spent a significant time in the treatment room.

In fact, White has only just returned from a three-month spell on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery in November.

White made his long-awaited return to action in Saturday's 1-0 defeat against West Ham United, replacing William Saliba in the 86th minute at the Emirates Stadium.

As a result, White does not have too much time to prove himself to Tuchel before he selects his first group of players for next month's World Cup qualifiers.

With that said, the Arsenal defender does have an advantage over some of his rivals due to the fact he can play as a full-back and in central defence.

Written by

Ben Sully