‘It doesn’t sound as if…’ – Phil Hay delivers fresh hope for Leeds over new Ben White deal
Amid all the crazy rumours, the one player all Leeds United fans want to sign this summer is Ben White.
He’s on course to be crowned Player of the Season and his season-long loan from Brighton is up after the game against Charlton tonight.
White has been linked with a number of clubs but the strongest interest has come from Liverpool, who have been scouting him all season.
However, Athletic journalist Phil Hay has said he’s heard that they don’t have a lot of money to spend and may turn their back on a deal for White.
Hay also mentioned interest from Man City but added that they’ve put in a bid for Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly.
Hay said there aren’t many other sides who would be “miles ahead” of Leeds when it comes to White.
Talking on the latest episode of the Phil Hay Show podcast, Hay said, “What I’m interested in with White is the fact that Liverpool have been stalking him all the way through the season and it doesn’t sound as if there’s a vast amount of cash there, and therefore I don’t know what sort of position they’d be in to do that deal and I don’t know whether they’d think at this particular juncture that throwing a lot of money at Ben White would be the right move.
“It’s not to stay he won’t stay at Brighton, I just find it a bit surprising that after what’s happened this season it doesn’t blow up and he ends up somewhere else.
“I suspect the last four or five days haven’t done any harm to his chances of staying.
“He’s never had a look-in at Brighton and if he went there this summer he wouldn’t know people in the dressing room.
“He might be thinking ‘I know Cooper, I’m good friends with Phillips…’ If Liverpool don’t buy him and Man City buy Koulibaly… if you drop past the top six clubs, which team is miles ahead of Leeds?”
Continuity is really important for Leeds. It looks like Marcelo Bielsa will sign a new deal and manage the club next season.
That’s the biggest deal that Leeds can complete this summer.
Behind him is White. Alongside Liam Cooper, White has been a rock and helped Leeds to record the best defence in the Championship this season.
Leeds have only conceded 35 goals in 45 games and that’s been a huge part of the successful promotion push.
White has proved himself in the Championship but would he really walk into the Liverpool or Man City first team?
He’s still untested at Premier League level but he knows he’ll be one of the first names on the teamsheet at Leeds.
He’s happy here, enjoys working under Bielsa and is good friends with Kalvin Phillips. All of that goes in Leeds’ favour.
We’re not saying it’s nailed on but there’s definitely a chance. The Liverpool news stacks it even more in our direction.
In other Leeds United news, Leeds United set to confirm another big signing imminently