Arsenal defender Ben White has apparently gone under the knife to treat a joint issue in his knee, which will sideline the Englishman for around two months.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion man has once again played a pivotal role under Mikel Arteta this season, making 12 appearances in all tournaments and providing one assist.
White has played the full 90 in Arsenal's last two games against Inter Milan and Chelsea, but he spent a few weeks on the sidelines from late September to early October with a knee niggle.
According to Con Harrison on X - formerly known as Twitter - White underwent keyhole surgery to address the long-standing issue with his knee, having been soldiering on through the pain for the past few weeks.
The 27-year-old - who was not included in the most recent England squad as a result of his self-imposed exile - is unlikely to be back in action until the middle of January, depriving Arteta of another fundamental defensive option at a time when he is already frequently chopping and changing his backline.
White to miss Manchester United, Monaco clashes
© Imago
Arsenal have 10 games to go in all competitions between now and the end of 2024, all of which White will be unavailable for, starting with the visit of Nottingham Forest to the Emirates on November 23 after the international break.
Arteta's side will also take on Sporting Lisbon (November 26) and West Ham United (November 30) in the final week of this month, before commencing December with a heavyweight tie against Ruben Amorim's Manchester United on December 4.
Fulham (December 8), Monaco (December 11) and Everton (December 14) also lie in wait during the hectic winter period, before the Gunners face Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup quarter-finals on December 18 and then again in the league on December 21.
Arsenal do not play on Boxing Day this year, instead hosting Ipswich Town on December 27, and the New Year's Day clash with Brentford is also likely to come too soon for White to make his comeback.
Should the 27-year-old spend the full eight weeks on the sidelines, January 4's clash with Brighton & Hove Albion should be out of the question, and it remains to be seen if he would be able to take part in the FA Cup third-round showdown with an as yet unknown opponent on the weekend of January 11/12.
Could White be back in time for North London derby?
© Imago
In almost exactly two months from now, Arsenal will welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Emirates on January 15, and there is every chance that White could make his return from surgery against the Gunners' bitter rivals.
The 27-year-old's operation comes after teammates Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka both withdrew from the England squad due to the knocks they picked up against Chelsea, although neither man is thought to be nursing a severe issue.
Riccardo Calafiori (knee) is also thought to be on track to return after the international break, but there is still no set date for when Kieran Tierney (hamstring) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) might return.
Arsenal went into the international break lying fourth in the Premier League table, below Chelsea on goal difference and nine points worse off than runaway leaders Liverpool.
Ben Knapton
