Declan Rice to lead Ben White charm offensive in hope of England U-turn

Declan Rice plans to speak with Arsenal team-mate Ben White over his self-imposed England exile and hopes he, Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale can change the defender’s mind.

Telegraph Sport last week revealed that White’s decision to step away from the England set up came after a barbed comment from Gareth Southgate’s assistant Steve Holland at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

White asked to leave the England camp in Qatar and made himself unavailable for selection for the friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, despite the player’s excellent form for Arsenal.

An injury to Kyle Walker may well have put White in the frame to start against Belgium on Tuesday night, but his absence is likely to hand another opportunity to Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa at right-back.

Rice will captain England for the first time in what will be his 50th appearance for the Three Lions against Belgium and admitted that he hopes White will change his mind – with the help of some of his other Arsenal team-mates.

“When I get back (to Arsenal), I can have a conversation with him and see the ins and outs, and see what he thinks,” said Rice. “I would love him to come (back). I think Bukayo would. I think Aaron Ramsdale would. I think we’re all going to be on him when we get back to say…hopefully, he can change his mind.

“I would love him to be here. Playing against him and now playing with him, seeing how he is … he is very quiet, keeps himself to himself but when he’s on the pitch, he’d do anything for his team to win.

“I think he’s a really unique player because he can play three positions. In tournaments that’s so key. He can play centre-back, he can play right-back, he can play inverted full-back.

“It’s Ben’s life, it’s Ben’s decision. Obviously people are going to have opinions, people are going to write stuff about it but, ultimately, he’s content with his decision.”