He had a Premier League winners medal around his neck, deserved reward for his contribution to the Gunners’ transformation from strugglers to contenders to Premier League champions.
asserted
He → have → champions
The brace on his right knee summed up years of putting his body on the line for Arsenal.
asserted
brace → sum → Arsenal
White was signed from Brighton as a centre-back for £50million in 2021.
asserted
White → sign → 2021
His mentality, and unique tolerance for playing through pain, quickly became obvious to those at the club.
asserted
mentality → play → club
During the 2021/22 season, he played with a grade two hamstring tear away at Newcastle.
asserted
he → play → Newcastle
There is a quote on the wall of the treatment room at Arsenal's training ground, which reads: "Your best ability is availability.”
asserted
ability → be → ground
White put that into practice.
asserted
White → put → practice
In his first season at the club, he started 32 Premier League matches.
asserted
he → start → matches
That number rose to 36 the following year as he was moved to right-back.
asserted
he → rise → back
Jurrien Timber arrived from Ajax in the summer of 2023, a signing that looked set to ease the workload on White.
asserted
that → arrive → White
The Dutchman, though, picked up an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury on his debut and White was required to start 35 out of 38 games in the league.
asserted
White → pick → league
It has been a vicious cycle, with one overused through necessity in the absence of the other to the detriment of their own fitness.
asserted
one → overuse → fitness
White's medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury against West Ham at the end of last season came a few days after a superb performance in the Champions League semi-final second-leg win over Atletico Madrid.
asserted
injury → come → Madrid
His connection on the right wing with Bukayo Saka, central to Arsenal's first title challenge in 2022/23, looked to be back.
asserted
connection → look → 2022/23
White is known for having a particularly level head.
asserted
White → know → head
He is not one to dwell too long on disappointments, or get carried away by successes.
asserted
He → dwell → successes
This injury, though, was a hugely frustrating blow, and not just because he missed the finale of Arsenal's historic season.
asserted
he → miss → season
It came with White back in the England picture, after returning under Thomas Tuchel during the previous international break.
asserted
It → come → break
Had he not picked up that injury in the final weeks of the season, he would have been in England's squad at the World Cup.
asserted
he → pick → Cup
The online response to news of Ben White's injury in May had a different tone to usual among the Arsenal fans.
uncertain
response → have → fans
There was one theme that dominated, one message more common than all others: “Thank you.”
asserted
that → be → you
Compilations were compiled and messages of gratitude posted, the sense being that White might have put his body on the line for Arsenal for the final time.
uncertain
White → compile → time
White clearly remains as committed to Arsenal as ever, despite the setbacks he faces
However, for all there was external speculation over his future, a summer exit was not considered by either Arsenal or White.
asserted
exit → remain → Arsenal
Mikel Arteta still viewed him as a key part of his plans.
asserted
Arteta → view → plans
White is also a popular member of the squad, his deadpan attitude towards interviews hiding the more outgoing side of his personality.
asserted
attitude → hide → personality
He is especially close to Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard, throwing the latter's sunglasses into the crowd during the trophy parade.
asserted
He → throw → parade
As for White, there was the feeling that any move would be a downgrade.
asserted
move → be → White
Having worked so hard to help Arsenal get back to the domestic summit, he had no desire to leave now the club were finally there.
asserted
club → work → desire
Instead, his focus turned to getting himself fit for the start of pre-season, knowing the advantage he would have over those returning late after the World Cup.
asserted
he → turn → Cup
White spent around a month of the summer in Portugal, training every day.
asserted
White → spend → Portugal
Arsenal sent physios out to work with him on his recovery.
asserted
Arsenal → send → recovery
He is known for doing gym work on his days off during the season and the intensity was ramped up over the summer.
asserted
intensity → know → summer
White "trains like every day is his last," one club source said.
asserted
source → train → ?
With his recovery going smoothly, White was able to join up with members of the Arsenal squad in Marbella for an unofficial camp the week before the start of pre-season.
asserted
White → go → season
Arsenal still remained cautious.
asserted
Arsenal → remain → ?
The decision was made not to include him in the behind-closed-doors friendly against MK Dons, as he continued to build his fitness.
asserted
he → make → fitness
His first appearance of the summer was against Girona, when he featured for an hour.
asserted
he → feature → hour
The real test came with the start of the competitive season and White hit the ground running.
asserted
White → come → ground
The trio started the first six matches of the season together.
asserted
trio → start → season
Against Napoli, when Arteta rotated his side, it was telling that he still stuck with those three on the right.
asserted
he → rotate → right
…and 15 more, not listed.
The Aporia
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