Arsenal defender Ben White ruled out for ‘months’ after knee surgery
Arsenal defender Ben White will be out for “several months” after undergoing knee surgery, manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed.
The Gunners boss said White, 27, had suffered multiple knocks and decided to have surgery during the international break.
“It’s a different type of struggle. It’s never the same thing but we have to make a decision. Unfortunately he hasn’t improved in the last few weeks,” said Arteta, whose side host Nottingham Forest on Saturday .
“We knew Ben was going to push every boundary but it got to the point where we had to protect the players and we decided to have surgery.
“He agreed to this and it will keep him out for a few months.”
Asked about a specific time frame, Arteta added: “We’ll have to see how he responds. I don’t expect it to be half a year, but I can’t tell you for sure.”
Arsenal should have Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka available as they return from mid-match injuries. The draw against Chelsea, This resulted in their withdrawal from the England squad.
Defender Riccardo Calafiori is also expected to play on Saturday after missing a month with a knee problem, but Takehiro Tomiyasu remains sidelined.
