Mikel Arteta conceded that Ben White’s injury “doesn’t look good” with the Arsenal defender’s chances of travelling to the World Cup perhaps now in doubt.
White was helped off during the first half of Arsenal’s 1-0 win at West Ham on Sunday after suffering what appeared to be a knee injury in a tackle on Crysencio Summerville.
The right-back was in obvious discomfort, grimacing as a member of the medical staff helped him to the sideline, and was later spotted wearing a knee brace as he departed the ground.
“We don’t know but it doesn’t look good at all,” Arteta said of the injury. “He needs some further testing tomorrow probably and then we will know.”
The Arsenal manager also suggested that Riccardo Calafiori had also picked up an issue during the game. The Italian was replaced at half time as Arteta twice reshuffled his backline, first moving Declan Rice to the right side of the back four before introducing Cristhian Mosquera after Calafiori’s withdrawal.
The defensive pair’s absence would be a major blow to Arteta ahead of the final two Premier League games and the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on 30 May. Jurrien Timber, who can play on either side of a back four, is currently absent, too.
For White, meanwhile, the timing of a set-back would be far from ideal. The 28-year-old was given a shock recall to the England squad in March by Thomas Tuchel, and would have hoped that a strong end to the season could earn him a spot on the plane to North America.
Tuchel is due to name his World Cup squad on Friday 22 May.
