- Ben White is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery
- The Arsenal star had initially only been expected to be out for six to eight weeks
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Mikel Arteta said Ben White will be out for ‘months’ following a minor knee operation in what is a major blow for Arsenal.
White underwent the procedure during the international break and has had his workload managed this season due to the injury.
A six to eight-week timeline was initially suggested, but Arteta was frank in his assessment.
Ahead of Arsenal’s match against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, he said: ‘Ben is going to be out for months unfortunately.
‘It’s been different kind of struggles, it’s never been the same thing. We had to make a decision, it’s not been improving in the last few weeks unfortunately.
‘We know that Ben is going to push every boundary, but it got to a point that we had to protect the player and we decided to do the surgery.
Arsenal star Ben White is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery
Gunners manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday: ‘Ben is going to be out for months unfortunately’
‘He agreed with that and it’s going to keep him out for a few months.’
Arteta wouldn’t give a more specific estimate, but added he didn’t expect White to be out for ‘half a year’.
The Gunners are without a league victory since beating Southampton 3-1 on October 5 and currently sit nine points behind leaders Liverpool.
They can ill-afford further slip-ups, despite the campaign being still so early on. Forest lost to Newcastle before the international break but are unbeaten on the road, with only Liverpool having claimed more points away from home thus far.
However, Arteta also had some positive injury news on Friday as he confirmed that Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard would all be available to face Forest.
‘Trossard seems to be OK, he trained this morning and is feeling good,’ added Arteta.
‘We will assess everything with the doctor but he was able to do part of that session, so that’s good.
‘Bukayo and Declan as well had their first sessions today – partial sessions – so that’s very good as well.’
Defender White had featured in 12 of Arsenal’s 17 games in all competitions so far this season
Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka (left to right) are all fit to play on Saturday
Riccardo Calafiori will also be back in the squad after missing the last five matches through injury.
Kieran Tierney is back training but not available, while Takehiro Tomiyasu is out for a ‘period’.
The visit of Forest will be Arteta’s 250th in charge of the Gunners, who are currently fourth in the Premier League, nine points behind leaders Liverpool.
‘I’m extremely grateful, very happy, I’ve enjoyed every minute,’ he said.
‘I understand how lucky I am to be sitting where I am. I feel huge pride to see what we transmit as a football club, as a team.
‘But it is about winning in the end. You want to win more, you want to win big trophies, and we are on that journey.’
