Liverpool, Chelsea & Spurs Monitoring Brighton Defender Ben White During Leeds Loan
By Tom Gott
Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are all understood to be scouting Brighton and Hove Albion defender Ben White, who has been hugely impressive on loan at Leeds United this season.
The 22-year-old has been a vital part of Marcelo Bielsa's table-topping side this season, playing every available minute in the Championship, adding a further two appearances in the Carabao Cup and one in the FA Cup.
White has been one of the standout performers in the second tier this season, and Sky Sports News claim that he has attracted the interest of some of the Premier League's top sides.
After their scouting missions, Chelsea and Spurs are both still thought to be keen on striking a deal for the centre-back during the January window, whereas Liverpool are not expected to follow up their interest in the near future.
There is no break clause in his contract with Leeds, so it is suggested that either Chelsea or Spurs would likely have to agree to loan him straight back to Elland Road if they did try and sign him this month.
Chelsea's interest in White emerged back in December, with the Blues thought to be keen on striking a £25m deal for the defender. They remain on the lookout for defensive reinforcements, although White would not be able to offer anything immediately as a result of his commitment to Leeds.
Nevertheless, Chelsea have never had much of a problem with signing a young player and keeping him out on loan. We saw it with Christian Pulisic early in 2019, so a similar deal could be struck for White.
As for Spurs, they were actually linked with White back in 2018 as his Brighton contract neared its end. They are also eager to bring in a new centre-back, especially with Jan Vertonghen expected to walk away when his contract expires next summer.
Brighton are thought to be reluctant to part ways with White, although a sizeable bid would likely be enough to change their minds.
For more from Tom Gott, follow him on Twitter!