‘We have an advantage’ – Leeds set to hold talks with PL club over deal for 22y/o
Angus Kinnear has confirmed that Leeds United are set to hold talks with Brighton about potentially re-signing Ben White.
The 22-year-old spent last season on loan at Elland Road, playing every single Championship fixture for Marcelo Bielsa as the Whites won promotion to the Premier League.
Everyone associated with Leeds want to see White return to West Yorkshire for the club’s first season back in the Premier League but the general consensus is that a second deal will be tough.
However, that doesn’t mean that Leeds won’t try to sign White with managing director Kinnear confirming that the club could have the upper-hand in the race for his signature.
“Ben is going to be hugely sought-after. It’s one of the risks of doing the type of deal we did. I know supporters say ‘well, why isn’t there an option to buy him?’,” Kinnear said, as quoted by LeedsLive.
“The reality was Brighton weren’t prepared to do that, so it was either take the player without an option or don’t take him at all.
“We clearly made the right decision. We now have some conversations to have with Brighton as to where they see his future.
“We know they rate him very highly. We know other clubs rate him very highly. We have an advantage in Ben loves the club.
He’s loved playing for the club. He loves his team-mates. He knows he’s going to get game time under Marcelo.
“We have a small competitive advantage there, but ultimately, we’re now going to be fighting with some big names for his signature.”
We understand Brighton’s point of view on this.
White is their player and there might not be anything Leeds can do to re-sign the defender from the AMEX this summer.
However, as Kinnear rightly points out, the defender has had a brilliant season at Elland Road, he clearly flourishes in Bielsa’s system and knows the club, the players and the fans.
If he was going to join anyone this summer, it would be Leeds. Wouldn’t it?
Of course, money does talk and so does the prospect of joining a team who’ll be playing in European football next season with Liverpool among the clubs linked with White.
But that doesn’t mean Leeds cannot try and who knows? White could be more tempted to join a club he knows he’ll start every week for than one he might not.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are eyeing this £40million-rated Wales international.