90min

Key Arsenal defender 'out for a few months' with knee injury

  • Mikel Arteta revealed the full extent of Ben White's injury layoff
  • The right-back underwent surgery earlier this month
  • There were also fitness updates on Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard

By Grey Whitebloom

Ben White underwent surgery on his knee during the international break
Ben White underwent surgery on his knee during the international break / Image Photo Agency/GettyImages
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that Ben White will be "out for a few months" after undergoing knee surgery.

The former England international had minor surgery during the November break to resolve a long-running joint issue. White had been forced to sit out four games as September bled into October but made himself available for the last month of matches despite going into games in pain.

Arteta detailed the full extent of his defender's injury while speaking to the press ahead of Arsenal's Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest on Saturday, explaining. "Ben White is going to be out for months, unfortunately," the Spanish boss sighed.

"It's been different kinds of struggles, never the same thing. We had to make a decision, it hasn't been improving in the last few weeks. We know Ben is going to push every boundary, but it got to a point where we had to protect the player."

Chelsea FC v Arsenal FC - Premier League
Ben White has not been part of a Premier League victory for Arsenal since the north London derby in September / Crystal Pix/MB Media/GettyImages

Arteta continued: "We decided to do surgery, he agreed with that and that's going to keep him out for a few months.

"We have to see how he reacts post-surgery, I don't expect it to be half a year but I can't say exactly how long it will be."

White is hardly Arsenal's only injury concern. Arteta confirmed that fellow right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu will "be away now for a few weeks to continue with his treatment and change his environment a bit" while he recovers from a knee problem of his own. Despite returning to training, Kieran Tierney is also sidelined.

However, it wasn't all doom and gloom for the Gunners. Arteta revealed that Leandro Trossard "seems to be OK" and "is feeling good" despite limping off during Belgium's defeat to Israel earlier this week. Riccardo Calafiori will also be back in the squad after a month-long knee problem while there were positive updates on Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice.

The English duo were both forced to pull out of Lee Carsley's squad for this month's Nations League fixtures, but are expected to be available for the visit of Forest after looking "very good" in a partial training session.

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