Mikel Arteta revealed Ben White’s reaction to England return amid jeers

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has downplayed the significance of England fans booing Ben White during the international break, insisting the defender returned to London Colney in high spirits after his first call-up since 2022.

​Mikel Arteta laughed off reports of Ben White being targeted by England fans at Wembley, claiming the defender was “buzzing” to be back.

White, who earned his first call-up under Thomas Tuchel following a long absence, faced jeers during friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.

Arteta jokingly remarked: “The volume was down, so I could not hear that. I could just see the big smile on his face.”

​While White celebrated his return, Arteta expressed sympathy for Riccardo Calafiori after Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

Conversely, striker Viktor Gyokeres returned in a “buoyant” mood after firing Sweden to the tournament with a dramatic late winner against Poland.

Regarding White’s happiness, Arteta added: “That’s great to hear because when you send a player to a national team you really want to bring back a better player.”