White, 26, has starred for the Premier League leaders this season but has not featured for the national team since the 2022 World Cup.

White returned early from Qatar for what the Football Association called "personal reasons" and reports later emerged of an alleged bust-up with England assistant Steve Holland.

Southgate denied any such rows on Thursday, when he had hoped to include the defender in his squad for this month's Euro 2024 warm-up friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.

The manager revealed White would otherwise have been in his 25-man squad, saying: "Clearly on form I can't sit here and say he doesn't deserve to be in.

"We had a call from Edu (Arsenal sporing director) last week and he said Ben didn't want to be considered for England squads at this time.

"For me that is a great shame. He is a player we took to the Euros, a player we took to the World Cup and I spoke to him post-Qatar because I wanted to pick him.

"He is not available to us and there is no issue between us at all and I also should say there is never any issue with (coach) Steve Holland because that has been mentioned in articles and I don't like that.

"I want that door wide open. He would be in this squad but he's not available to us and I have to focus on who can help us."

White has earned four senior England caps since his move to Arsenal, but has not been part of Southgate's plans since an early departure from the last World Cup in Qatar.

Jarrad Branthwaite, of Everton, and Newcastle's Anthony Gordon have received their first England call-ups but there was no place for West Ham midfielder Kalvin Phillips in Gareth Southgate's last squad before making his Euro 2024 selection.

Brentford forward Ivan Toney is involved at the first opportunity after serving an eight-month Football Association betting ban, and Liverpool's Joe Gomez, who won the last of his 11 senior caps in October 2020, is also back.

England play Brazil on March 23 and Belgium three evenings later.

Australian Associated Press