MOT View: Local report should offer Leeds glimmer of hope on Ben White future
The transfer saga between Leeds United and Ben White is sure to rumble on all summer.
The Brighton loanee has been a revelation at Elland Road, and has established himself as a key part of Marcelo Bielsa’s squad as his side push for promotion back to the Premier League after 16 years outside of the top flight.
The prospect of securing his services beyond this season have always looked relatively slim, however.
His parent club have already made it very clear that they have no intention of selling White, with local outlet The Argus reporting as such as far back October.
But the Seagulls are blessed with an embarrassment of riches at the heart of defence.
Alongside White, they also have Derby County loanee Matt White, as well as Lewis Dunk, Shane Duffy, and Adam Webster in their current Premier League squad.
And according to Sussex Live, that could afford Leeds a glimmer of hope when it comes to re-signing White this summer.
A piece from the publication reads: “At an age where he will no doubt feel that he needs to be playing regularly, the opportunity to join a Leeds side where he already knows he’s valued and desperately wanted, would potentially become more appealing, although ultimately Brighton would have the final say.
“Keeping Dunk would by no means signal the end of White’s Albion career, but it does perhaps crack the door open just a couple of millimetres wider.”
Sussex Live make a very astute point here.
Brighton are facing something of a dilemma when it comes to White this summer.
Nobody can deny, on the basis of what we’ve seen at Elland Road this term, that this is a player who deserves to be playing regular first team football.
The defender has been an ever-present for Leeds, and has thrived as a result.
But at the same time, why would Graham Potter look to change a defensive partnership as strong as Dunk and Webster’s?
Brighton might not want to sell, but White might want to leave, and that could prove to be a very significant factor if he isn’t guaranteed a starting role.
In other Leeds United news, ‘Kick in the stomach’, ‘Sickener’ – Many Leeds fans react to latest Championship promotion twist.