Arsenal's shock Ben White replacement named as Mikel Arteta provides latest injury update before Everton

Arsenal have a surprise solution to Ben White's recent hamstring injury as Mikel Arteta continues to grapple with a defensive shortage, Gunners expert Charles Watts has told Sports Mole.

The England international is expected to spend at least four weeks out of action with the issue he picked up in last weekend's 2-1 Premier League win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, joining Gabriel Magalhaes, Cristhian Mosquera, Max Dowman and Kai Havertz in the Emirates treatment room.

White's concern spells bad news for Jurrien Timber, who is now Arteta's only senior right-back option and will be afforded little rest over the festive period, a potential omen for another injury for the 2023-24 ACL victim.

Last year, Thomas Partey was used as an emergency right-back, whereas this year, Arteta only has 19-year-old academy graduate Joshua Nichols as another out-and-out option to replace White and Timber.

However, Watts has name-checked Christian Norgaard as a player who could do a job at right-back if need be, as he urged Arteta to resist the temptation to play Timber for 90 minutes in every single match that White misses.

Arsenal's Christian Norgaard name-checked as emergency Ben White replacement

"Norgaard might be the Thomas Partey, the makeshift break in case of emergency right-back option," Watts said. "No-one wants to see him at right-back, obviously, but if you're going to be getting some minutes off Timber - Palace or Portsmouth - does Timber need to be starting?

"There is Nichols, but I just look at how Mikel has used him - or not used him. It suggests to me that he doesn't quite think he's ready, but do you need to be ready? If it's just a case of taking 20 minutes off of Timber, there's definitely an argument for that, but I feel like Norgaard might end up being that guy.

"I don't think it's a case of Timber not having to not start every game, but just not playing 90 minutes every single game. In those cup games, and then every so often in the league, give him half an hour off. That's how Mikel is going to have to get through this period."

Norgaard was shoe-horned into a centre-back role during Arsenal's 3-0 Champions League win over Club Brugge, but according to Transfermarkt, the 31-year-old has only ever played at right-back once in his career.

That game just so happened to be his senior debut for Lyngby in November 2011, although he did play as a right-midfielder on three occasions for Brondby during the 2014-15 Superliga.

Mikel Arteta gives Ben White injury update before Everton clash

Arteta was quintessentially coy when asked for a team news update in Friday's press conference ahead of Saturday's clash with Everton, but the Spaniard did at least confirm that White would be missing for a few matches.

"Yeah he’s out," Arteta replied. "He’s evolving well, it’s not a major injury, but it will keep him out for a few games, I think. Ben is a really fast healer as well, so there’s hope that we’re going to have him in the next few games."

Gabriel (thigh) and Havertz (knee) are also progressing well in their rehabilitation, but Arteta also refused to put timeframes on the pair, and reports have suggested that the latter will be out until 2026.

Dowman is also weeks away from returning from an ankle injury sustained in an Under-21s friendly, but Martin Zubimendi - who missed training on Tuesday for load management reasons - is expected to be given the all-clear.

Arsenal enter gameweek 17 two points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, but the Citizens will temporarily ascend to the summit on Saturday if they beat West Ham United in the afternoon.

> Click here to listen to the full discussion on Ben White's injury, potential replacements and a possible sale in 2026