Arsenal defender Ben White has reportedly undergone a minor surgery to address an issue he’s been managing for the past six weeks, according to insider Con Harrison. Harrison, an Arsenal scout with appearances on the BBC and The Overlap, shared that the Englishman recently underwent the procedure.
White managed to play the full 90 minutes in Arsenal’s recent matches against Chelsea and Inter Milan. However, he missed the game at Preston North End due to load management, with manager Mikel Arteta revealing that White had also missed the prior training session ahead of their clash with Newcastle United. Despite this, the 27-year-old came off the bench to play the final 19 minutes, replacing Jurrien Timber.
White has appeared in 12 of Arsenal’s 17 games across all competitions this season, often pushing through pain to stay on the pitch. After aggravating a groin injury against Manchester City in September, he missed four games but has since returned, managing his workload to stay fit.
With the international break underway, White took the chance to have the minor procedure and is expected back for Arsenal’s November 23 fixture against Nottingham Forest. The Gunners are also optimistic that Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, both of whom exited early in the Chelsea match due to fitness concerns, will be back. Saka and Rice both withdrew from England duty, while Martin Odegaard returned to London from Norway to continue his rehab.
This could mean White, Saka, Rice, and Riccardo Calafiori may all be fully fit when the Premier League resumes, providing Arsenal a crucial boost ahead of the demanding festive schedule.
Leave a Reply