BBC pundit Noel Whelan expects Brighton & Hove Albion to find it ‘very hard’ to turn down a mega-money offer for Ben White in January, should someone try to buy the centre-back thriving on loan with Leeds United.
White has started each of our 16 Championship fixtures so far this season, despite never playing in a division higher than League One before joining us on loan for the 2019/20 campaign.
The Seagulls can recall the 22-year-old in January should they wish, though, as the Premier League side ensured there was a recall clause inserted in our agreement before sanctioning his temporary transfer.
Leeds chief Angus Kinnear has claimed that it is very unlikely that Brighton will trigger their option in the winter, as the most likely justification would be if he or Arsenal loanee Eddie Nketiah – who can similarly be recalled – do not reach the quota of games agreed upon with their parent clubs.
But Whelan is fearful that White’s efforts at Elland Road may have increased his stock to a level where Brighton have to accept a big offer in January, as his performances ought to have placed him on the radar of some of the Premier League’s top six clubs and a move could well be on the cards.
“Marcelo Bielsa has suggested he is not expecting much to happen in January, but that may change,” Whelan told Football Insider. “Is Ben White getting sold?
“If a big offer of £25-30million comes in from a top six Premier League club, Brighton are going to find that very hard to turn down.
“There are lots of reasons for Leeds to be worried, as he is not their player and has a mid-season recall clause.
“I can see Ben White going to a club like Manchester United and then being loaned back to Leeds for the rest of the season. He is an amazing defender, who’s easily good enough for the top of the Premier League.”
If You Could Only Keep One, Who Would It Be?
Eddie Nketiah
Ben White
Jack Clarke
White has stepped up to the task of playing in front of a packed Elland Road with ease, with the Poole-born centre-half averaging more successful tackles per ninety minutes in the Championship than his more experienced partners Liam Cooper, Gaetano Berardi or Luke Ayling.
White is currently averaging 1.9 successful tackles from 2.1 attempts, per WhoScored data, along with a team centre-back high of 2.9 interceptions, plus 3.6 clearances, 1.2 blocks and 3.3 successful aerial duels.