Mikel Arteta confirms return of key defender for Leicester clash

  • Ben White is back after three months out
  • Defender underwent knee surgery in November
  • Respite for Jurrien Timber is on the way
Ben White is back!
Ben White is back! | Marc Atkins/GettyImages

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Ben White will make his long-awaited return from injury at Leicester this weekend.

Arsenal have been without the defender since mid-November after a decision was made that White would undergo knee surgery to fix a nagging issue. The Englishman had struggled his way through 2024/25 up to that point, but had emerged as a critical figure in Arteta's north London project.

Signed for ยฃ50m from Brighton in 2021, White was quickly converted into Arteta's primary right-back option and developed into an effective two-way full-back having previously excelled in the centre of defence.

His presence has been sorely missed down the right flank, although Jurrien Timber deserves immense credit for the shift he's put in while White's been sidelined.


Ben White is available for Arsenal's trip to Leicester after three months out

White jetted out to Dubai with the rest of the squad last week in the wake of a meek Carabao Cup semi-final exit, and there was an expectation that he'd be fit for this Saturday's game at Leicester.

Speaking ahead of the contest, Arteta confirmed the defender's availability (via arsenal.com): โ€œYes, Ben has been training more regularly now so we still have to manage his load a lot but heโ€™s going to be available [for Leicester]."

With Arsenal receiving a constant stream of unwanted injury news in recent weeks, White's return is a timely boost.

While Timber will be expected to start for the eighth game running, White should earn minutes off the bench as Arteta attempts to ease him in. Arsenal's schedule quietens down over the next month before the start of the Champions League round of 16, so we should expect Timber and White to share the minutes almost evenly.

The Dutch defender is the sturdiest of presences one-on-one and excellent in the build-up phase, but there's no denying that Arsenal have missed White's ability in the final third. The Englishman is hardly prolific, but he's excellent at picking the right moments to advance and overload the opposition.

We can only hope the surgery helps White return to his most potent form after a sluggish start to the new season. From a personal perspective, the Englishman will be aiming to produce a tidy run of form ahead of the March internationals amid talk that he'll make himself available for national team selection again with Thomas Tuchel at the helm.


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