Tuchel confirms two 'reasons' for White snub as England boss reveals '100%' verdict

England boss Thomas Tuchel has revealed two “reasons” why Arsenal defender Ben White was not included in his squad for next month’s international matches.

The Arsenal star has not featured for England since he was sent home early from the 2022 World Cup, with it widely reported that he had a fallout with former assistant manager Steve Holland.

White never reconciled with Holland or Gareth Southgate, so an England return was never on the cards before they left their roles after last year’s European Championships.

However, the appointment of Tuchel has opened the door for a return, revealing his stance on the versatile defender ahead of his first games in charge in March.

Injuries have impacted White this season as he’s only made 25 appearances in all competitions, but he has started Arsenal’s last three Premier League games.

Tuchel named his England squad for the upcoming matches against Andorra and Senegal on Friday morning and White was not included. He has since revealed two “reasons” for this decision.

“He was involved in the latest matches of Arsenal, but we had a talk and decided now is not the moment because he will become a father very soon,” Tuchel said.

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“The baby is due right on the exact date of the camp. It is his first child and we wish him and his wife all the best.

“We thought if he comes back, it should be with a clear mind and full focus on football, which is now not the case. We decided together this is not the camp for him to come back.

“The second reason is although he played lately I think he can still have 10-15 per cent increase in the physical ability. Given all the circumstances, we decided that he is not with us.

“100 per cent, he was ready to be selected now but the main [reason why he wasn’t] was because of family.”

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Another notable call came as he sanctioned Ivan Toney’s England return. This decision has received backlash, but Tuchel has attempted to justify himself.

“He deserves to be with us and I am convinced because he scored over 20 goals for his team this season. He won a major title with the Asian Champions League, he had a big contribution with goals and assists,” Tuchel added.

“It is a good occasion now to also test new players, see new players in the environment. We decided to nominate three strikers in the squad.

“I had a call with Dom Solanke who deserved to be with us and won a big trophy this season but he was in camp already and I have a clear picture of what he can bring and now is the moment to see new players and get a feel for them in the group.”

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