Ben White of England is linked with Arsenal. (imago Images)
A report by Daily Mail claims that Bright and Hove Albion have slapped a £50million price tag on Liverpool transfer target, Ben White. The English centre-back is also pursued by Arsenal and Manchester United after an impressive season for the Seagulls. And he has even made significant strides in the English national team recently.
White replaced the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 26-man squad for Euros 2020. And it comes as no surprise that Brighton want to keep him, with three years still left on his contract that runs until 2024. But is he a good buy for the Reds? Let us find out.
As surprising as it may sound, Liverpool don’t need more centre-backs. That statement is a little peculiar considering the season they just had whereby Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips were the two centre-backs in the decisive last few games. But that was because of an unprecedented injury crisis at the club.
Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and Joel Matip all saw significant injuries end their campaigns prematurely. As for their backup options bought in January, Ozan Kabak too suffered an injury and Ben Davies never got near first-team football. But they have also strengthened that position significantly by signing Ibrahima Konate for £36million.
The French centre-back will come into the team hoping to be Van Dijk’s partner in defence. And all of Liverpool’s injured centre-backs would be fit to play a part in next season. In that regard, it does not make any sense to add White to an already stacked defensive line, whereby the current squad members would themselves be struggling for game time.
The aforementioned valuation of Ben White seems a little steep. That could be because of the sudden rise of the 23-year-old’s stock in European football and his importance to the Seagulls. He played in midfield, defence, as well as wide positions for Graham Potter’s side and the Premier League side know that White’s presence would be vital for PL survival.
In such a situation, Jurgen Klopp’s Reds should not be drawn into any deal in a hurried manner. It’s not just that they do not a centre-back, but the price for signing a defender who has arguably no European experience and only one season in the Premier League is something that should also be kept in mind.
As we have mentioned above, the Reds have no need for a blockbuster signing in defence. While White has impressed in his maiden PL season and has made his mark on the English national team, the Reds can do without him. But what they seemingly cannot do without is a midfielder and perhaps a backup forward.
Georginio Wijnaldum will leave the club at the end of this month and has joined PSG in France. The Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for 2022, which is mid-season in the Premier League. This would see Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah depart. Hence, the Reds should focus on filling those spaces in the squad rather than add needlessly in defence.
