WHITE STUFF
Brighton’s £30m star came of age during Newport loan spell and facing Harry Kane was turning point in his career
THE first bid for Brighton’s wanted man Ben White came in at the princely sum of £15.07 – one that was politely rejected.
Young football-mad Leeds United fan Daniel Auton had written to the south-coast club with the offer after checking the contents of his piggy bank, desperate to keep the defender at Elland Road.
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber replied that they had given the offer “serious consideration”, but, sadly, couldn’t accede to the heartwarming request.
Not that Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has fared any better with two more substantial bids – the last one in the region of £25million.
Now clubs such as Liverpool and Chelsea are interested in White, who featured in every one of Leeds’ 46 games of their Championship promotionwinning season.
Not bad for someone who hasn’t played a single league game – never mind a Premier League match – for his parent club.
But former Leeds and England keeper Paul Robinson believes that White possesses the qualities to be a success at the highest level and would be an automatic choice under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
He said: “If Liverpool managed to sign him, he would go straight in alongside Virgil van Dijk. They would form a formidable partnership. Once he got into the team, you would never get him out.
“Look at him at Leeds – he didn’t miss a single game.”
Brighton boss Graham Potter insists that he is anxious to offer White, who has also attracted the attention of
England manager Gareth Southgate, a regular starting place in his side.
But the Seagulls have a surfeit of central defenders, having just added Ajax’s Joel Veltman to the squad, and, like many clubs, are looking to cut costs following the pandemic.
It leaves them vulnerable to a big-money approach for a player who joined Brighton as a 16- year- old, having been released by Southampton.
He has made only two EFL Cup appearances in addition to three Checkatrade Trophy matches for the club’s
Under- 23 side while at the Amex Stadium.
Both Newport County and Peterborough have taken White on loan.
At Newport, he featured in the stirring FA Cup run that saw Leeds knocked out and Spurs taken to a replay at their temporary Wembley home.
It was the two games against Tottenham where the emerging defender came of age.
“To play at Wembley was a dream come true,” he recalled.
“Facing Harry Kane was good for me. I felt I more than held my own against him. I’m 2016-current: Brighton 2017–2018: Newport County (loan) 2019: Peterborough United (loan) 2019–2020: Leeds United (loan)
confident against anyone.” Former Manchester City defender Andy Hinchcliffe, a Sky Sports summariser on Championship football, saw White at close quarters a number of times last season.
“There’s a bit of John Stones, a young Rio Ferdinand and some John Terry and Gary Cahill in him,” he said.
“He’s earned his stripes in the lower leagues, but he looks a Premier League player.
“He now needs to play against top strikers, such as Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane, on a regular basis.”