Ben White could be out for two months after undergoing knee surgery

Ben White is poised for a period on the sidelines after undergoing minor knee surgery at the start of the November international break.

The converted centre-back has endured a tough start to the new season, and the latest reports make sense of White's fairly sluggish and laboured performances on the right side of Arsenal's backline.

White has been instrumental since joining the club in 2020 and blossomed into one of Mikel Arteta's most trusted assets. The Englishman racked up over 4,000 minutes of game time last season, and it seems as if that impressive haul has taken its toll on the right-back, who could now be out of action for the remainder of 2024.

Ben White could be out for two months after undergoing knee surgery

A constant down Arsenal's right last season, we've seen a meeker iteration of White this term. There's less vigour on the overlap and a subtle dwindling in athleticism, but it's clear that the right-back has been bothered by something.

White missed three games before the October international break due to a knee injury and looked immensely rusty on his return against Bournemouth, but he rebounded well when deployed at the heart of Arsenal's defence in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool.

Some suggest White's been dealing with his knee issue for the past six weeks, while others believe it's plagued the defender for the past 18 months - which would be pretty remarkable given the form he produced during the second half of the 2023/24 season.

He's doubtlessly played through pain, and Sky Sports are among those to report news of White's minor knee surgery which could sideline him for up to two months. Arsenal are hopeful the defender's operation will rid the issue indefinitely, but how many times did we hear that after Gabriel Jesus underwent multiple knee surgeries?

Nevertheless, the potential returns of Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori after the international break mean the club thought now was the right time for White to undergo the procedure. Calafiori's return from a knee injury would allow Jurrien Timber to shuffle over to the right having spent the last few games at left-back, while Tomiyasu will be expected to supply sturdy cover despite making just one appearance this season as the result of a recurring hamstring injury.

We can take some comfort in knowing there's an explanation for White's indifference this season, and his absence shouldn't be so hard-felt assuming Timber and Calafiori can stay injury-free for the rest of the calendar year. A hectic schedule means Tomiyasu will also earn his fair share of minutes.

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