Southgate insists the 'door is open' for Ben White but he must make first move

England boss Gareth Southgate insists the 'door is open' for Ben White but the defender must make first move if he wants to play at Euro 2024 this summer.

Midfielder Declan Rice said he will speak to White upon his return to Arsenal, with England's newest captain hopeful that his club team-mate will eventually agree to end his exile.

But Southgate said that he will leave it up to White because Arsenal contacted the FA and insisted that he did not want to be selected for the friendlies this month.

England boss Southgate said: 'It's really for Ben now. Dec is obviously in a difficult situation you're asking him about a team-mate and he's going to be careful what he says. As I've said to you, the door is open for us.

'That's clearly difficult ahead of the Euros, where you've got players that have played all the way through but we have no idea of knowing who's going to be available in that area of the pitch.

'I respected the situation as Arsenal have contacted us. So in the end, I know the conversation I had with him last March. I felt I should back away from it a little bit. But I've always left the door open. I was keen to bring him in this camp.'

White is not with the Three Lions squad after informing Southgate that he does not want to be selected for his country.

'The only thing I can say is it's Ben's life,' said Rice. 'It's Ben's decision. We can't argue with him, with what he wants to do. Of course, there's always going to be people writing stuff, having their opinions on what on what they think.

'But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is what he thinks and at this moment in time, he obviously doesn't want to play for England.'

White has not featured for England since leaving their World Cup camp in Qatar in