Phil Hay shares inkling he gets about Ben White future after speaking to Leeds multiple times
Leeds United are becoming less and less optimistic about their chances of signing Ben White from Brighton, according to The Athletic journalist Phil Hay.
White, 22, has shone brightly in his season-long loan at Elland Road this season and there is not a Leeds fan out there who wouldn’t want to see the defender return to the club once that loan deal expires.
Leeds definitely have a chance of striking a deal if they win promotion to the Premier League but Hay claims that there are likely to be top-six clubs in the hunt to sign the Brighton centre-back, making it increasingly difficult for the Whites.
“The more I speak to Leeds about White, the more I sense a kind of resignation about him staying here for a second year,” he said on the Phil Hay Show podcast.
“I think they feel that the improvement he has made this season and the attributes that he’s got are tailor-made for a top-six club to have a go if they’ve got the money.
“They would love to keep him and they will certainly try if they do go up.
“There’s no doubt at all that Bielsa has had a huge impact on him, but, ironically, the effect of Bielsa’s impact is going to be that he’s now such a prospect, and looks good in so many respects, that Leeds probably won’t be able to compete.”
White deserves to play for a top team in the Premier League and, as long as he can go somewhere to play regularly, Leeds fans will be pleased to see the defender get such a big move (as long as it’s not to Manchester United).
White is a future England international and is bound to win plenty of silverware in his career if he makes a good move after his loan spell at Leeds.
Let’s face it, he can do better than play for a team in the Championship and is probably too good for most bottom-half Premier League clubs.
Where would Leeds likely finish next season if they go up? It’s hard to say but it’s unlikely they’ll be challenging for Europe and that’s what White might want to do.
We hope we’re wrong and we hope Hay is wrong but White is just that good.
In other Leeds United news, Alex Neil has supported a big sanction being made against the Whites.