Benjamin William White | Brighton HA centre half with a sprinkle of Leeds United...

[Rozay]

I can’t express my admiration enough for this young centre half. Brighton have a real gem here, and it seems half the PL are chasing him following a highly impressive loan spell at Leeds United. Always hard to make predictions, but he looks like he’s going to the very top of the game. Would be very surprised if Brighton hang on to him this summer, but he looks ready for a top club.

Would have thought Guardiola would be right at the front of the queue for him, and he’s one that I would have no qualms of United keeping an eye on too. Been said that of all the English talent coming through, centre half isn’t a strong area, so he’s one that you would hope will step up and maybe even go to the Euros if he has a strong season. From that Leeds side, I would think that he and Phillips will go on to become full internationals.

 

[RooneyLegend]

He's the dogs bollocks.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

My Leeds mates don't shut up about him. Reckon he'll become one of the top centre backs around.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Only really hearing that Chelsea are after him currently out of the top clubs. Leeds are trying to sign him but don't think they have a chance.

 

[DCP]

Looks a great player, anyone know what he's like with the dirty aspects? Defending corners? General aerial dominance?

 

[izec]

Why aren't we in for him?

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Brighton would be mad to sell him. Cash in on Dunk instead.

 

[dbs235]

My Leeds mates don't shut up about him. Reckon he'll become one of the top centre backs around.

That's what I've heard too. If he's as good as they say then would be a good cheaper buy for United or Chelsea.

 

[Rozay]

Only really hearing that Chelsea are after him currently out of the top clubs. Leeds are trying to sign him but don't think they have a chance.

Liverpool too.

 

[Thiagoal]

He reminds me of Rio when he first broke through at West Ham. Fearless and so classy on the ball! Can’t believe Brighton didn’t see the talent and play him last season! Would love him at United but may be better as a Maguire replacement rather than playing alongside him.

 

[Rozay]

I know I’ve said over the course of this season, but his performances on loan at Leeds should be used to put Axel’s into perspective. He was alright at Villa in the Championship and had many declaring he should return as first choice here. The sort of season White had, in an identical situation - same age, at a promoted Championship club - is the sort of bar I would think you meed to reach before people should start declaring you go and start for one of the best sides in the land. White is a player who isn’t from our academy, who we could feasibly have watched at Leeds and be ready to pay big money for in his own right based exclusively on how good he was last year.

I can’t see Leeds getting him though. That said, I know Potter is building an exciting side, but Leeds are a bigger club and have a bigger manager. If the choice was simply between the two of them, I’d expect White to want to stay. But I doubt it will be between two clubs, others will be involved. Chelsea would be a good fit for him with their current project too.

 

[Nickosaur]

Really hope Brighton can hold on to him. Could be an exciting season ahead.

 

[SilentWitness]

Brighton seems like the perfect place for him right now to be honest given the style of player he is and the style of manager Potter is.

 

[pocco]

Suitable tag line for the OP.

 

[starman]

I hope Leeds don't manage to sign him permanently, their fans are really annoying about it, like they have a sense of entitlement to him, and should get him on the cheap because he played well on loan there, forget the fact he has a long contract at Brighton...

 

[FootballHQ]

Brighton will probably move on Shane Duffy. Dunk linked with Chelsea but not sure that will happen. Brighton are quite well stocked for CBs with Webster who cost them 20m and also Dan Burn who was a big surprise last season in how well he adapted to premier league. Also got Matt Clarke who did well at Derby but I think he'll probably be loaned again to championship.

Can see no reason why Brighton would sell to Leeds considering they'll be in the same part of the table.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

I see a fair bit of leeds and I can say he's a very good defender.

Will be an England International at somepoint I've no doubt.

 

[LoneStar]

Why aren't we in for him?

This thread just opened mate, give it a while for Ed and co to read.

 

[SambaBoy]

We should try and make a move for him this summer before he establishes himself in the Prem and cost upwards of £50m+. I hear he can be bought now for £25-30m.

 

[Okey]

Aah...been waiting for this thread (still don't have it in me to start one). This lad looks like the next big thing. Rio vibes all over. I'd be chuffed to bits if we spent big to sign him. Potential to be be something really special.

 

[E-mal]

Now that's a player I won't mind us getting, not some average player from Bournemouth.

The guy is quality and will only get better. But between him and Upemacano, the lather is a more rated player though.

 

[E-mal]

We should look to loaning Tuanzebe out again to a champion ship side fighting for promotion because of the doubt of playing time due to long lay off. Or may be even Werder Bremen.

We have to send our players to places they will get regular play time to improve their value.

 

[ayushreddevil9]

Why aren't we in for him?

He needs to be Engli.. oh wait

 

[Jibbs]

He looks decent in championship. It will be best for him if he stays with Leeds for at least another season in premier league. Joining a big club so soon can backfire for him, especially since he is very young, not too strong and tall either.

 

[Red_toad]

Excellent in the championship. Would need some development at a big club. I suspect Leeds will get him and end of the season when they’re relegate, we’ll buy him

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Really high praise.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I can’t express my admiration enough for this young centre half. Brighton have a real gem here, and it seems half the PL are chasing him following a highly impressive loan spell at Leeds United. Always hard to make predictions, but he looks like he’s going to the very top of the game. Would be very surprised if Brighton hang on to him this summer, but he looks ready for a top club.

Would have thought Guardiola would be right at the front of the queue for him, and he’s one that I would have no qualms of United keeping an eye on too. Been said that of all the English talent coming through, centre half isn’t a strong area, so he’s one that you would hope will step up and maybe even go to the Euros if he has a strong season. From that Leeds side, I would think that he and Phillips will go on to become full internationals.

Looks like a midfielder playing at CB given how easy he makes it look. Sometimes I wonder what on earth we were thinking spending around 140 million on Mature, Lindelof and Bailey and then still yearning for players like these.

 

[Adnan]

Nearly 23 and can't get a game at Brighton who have been one of the teams fighting relegation.. What am I missing?

 

[Ramshock]

Nearly 23 and can't get a game at Brighton who have been one of the teams fighting relegation.. What am I missing?

Brighton have more established CB's.

 

[RashysTekkers]

Looks like a midfielder playing at CB given how easy he makes it look. Sometimes I wonder what on earth we were thinking spending around 140 million on Mature, Lindelof and Bailey and then still yearning for players like these.

Grass is greener on the other side etc etc. If he comes here and flops will you be the 1st to put him on the dole ?

 

[RashyForPM]

Nearly 23 and can't get a game at Brighton who have been one of the teams fighting relegation.. What am I missing?

Because he wasn’t discovered until last season and even then, he was lucky to have Bielsa’s guidance. I’m sure he’ll play this season over cloggers like Burn, Webster and Duffy.

 

[ti vu]

I remember Tottenham wanted to sign him 2-3 years back. Feel like he's physically a late bloomer, which is one hell of a disadvantage for a CB breaking through the tank, specially in English football. Even now, he's not that tall, nor that big.

I don't watch much of Championship football, but really impressed with him in the handful of Leeds games I watched. Look like too good for Championship level. Has desirable skillset for ball playing CB. Whether him being able to develop further in PL is another story. If I am him, I would ask to move to Leeds with sell on, buy back clause if Brighton insists. At Leeds, he has the coach that builds a system suited him. Would help a lot rather moving to new system while having first season at PL level. Leeds doing badly or well in PL, he would get some serious experience playing under Bielsa who would sink with the ship. That's better than at some other clubs where the coaches chicken out and change thing up, may bench him for safer CB options.

 

[Harry190]

Needs to bulk up. Not joking. Too small for the PL.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Grass is greener on the other side etc etc. If he comes here and flops will you be the 1st to put him on the dole ?

Yes.

Tbh I'm just lamenting us still needing CBs after spending so much on this area. Even I wouldn't take myself seriously on this one.

 

[flappyjay]

Brighton would be mad to sell him. Cash in on Dunk instead.

With big clubs sniffing around its probably easier to make Dunk stick around. With Ben even if he stays this year he will probably be gone next year if he has a good pl season.

 

[roonster09]

Grass is greener on the other side etc etc.

This might be correct. His video of completed dribbles is posted, which means people expect him to do that in every game but he completes 1 dribble every other game.

For example, Maguire averaged as much if not more for Leicester and Hull.

White plays 2.8 long passes at 41% completion.
Maguire played 4.4 long passes at 57% completion. Last year it was 6.2 long passes at 65% completion.

 

[The Boy]

We have seven CBs at the moment, last season the main starters were Dunk, Webster and Burn as we switched between a back 3 and 4 with Duffy as back up. As others have mentioned we also have Clarke who has had an impressive season long loan at Derby as well as White at Leeds. Then we've just bought Veltman who though he can play right back is mainly a right sided CB. As Tony Bloom put it in a recent interview, we have "an abundance of centre backs"

But we will fight tooth and nail to hang onto White for the moment. Clarke will go back on loan and it looks like Duffy could well be off to Celtic. If Dunk wants to move to a bigger club, this is his last chance and I don't think the club would stand in the way of that if the right offer came in. Trouble is White hasn't signed a new contract with us yet, he's contracted to us until 2022 with an option to extend for a year apparently, so a lot will depend on that.

I think we'd sell him for a big offer as we have two other young CBs coming through who are also quite highly rated, Haydon Roberts and Leo Ostigard, the Athl;etic are reporting that Roberts might end up at Leeds instead.

It will take a bid north of 45 million to get White this summer, which is a lot for a player who has never played a minute in the prem, however highly rated he is.

My best guess is we will lose Dunk and Duffy and keep White for at least a season and then if goes, hopefully after a good season for even more money, we will have a ready made replacement in either Clarke or Roberts.

It's an exciting time to be a young player at Brighton as we have some real talents coming through alongside him, players like Lamptey, Mac Allister, Connolly and Alzate to name just a few, so I'm hoping that'll help turn his head.

We should try and make a move for him this summer before he establishes himself in the Prem and cost upwards of £50m+. I hear he can be bought now for £25-30m.

Leeds have already had two possibly three bids (depending what you read) turned down, the highest so far being 25 million plus add ons. We are clearly determined to keep him or get silly money from a bigger club.

Good article on it all here:
https://theathletic.co.uk/2005302/2020/08/20/ben-white-lewis-dunk-brighton-transfer-window/

 

[Rozay]

This might be correct. His video of completed dribbles is posted, which means people expect him to do that in every game but he completes 1 dribble every other game.

For example, Maguire averaged as much if not more for Leicester and Hull.

White plays 2.8 long passes at 41% completion.
Maguire played 4.4 long passes at 57% completion. Last year it was 6.2 long passes at 65% completion.

Is that meant to be a criticism of White? Maguire is the most expensive defender in the world and rated as England’s best centre half.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

With big clubs sniffing around its probably easier to make Dunk stick around. With Ben even if he stays this year he will probably be gone next year if he has a good pl season.

He has to be smart though. If he goes to a big club & struggles at the start he could end up sitting on their bench & having his development stalled. At Brighton you can play through your bad form & turn it around, at a top club you get benched. Look at what happened to John Stones.

 

[roonster09]

Is that meant to be a criticism of White? Maguire is the most expensive defender in the world and rated as England’s best centre half.

Its not criticism of anyone.