Ben White signed a new four-year deal with Brighton in September (Getty Images)
According to a report by The Athletic (h/t The Mirror), Premier League rivals Liverpool and Manchester United have been linked with a move for Ben White.
The young centre-back is enjoying a fantastic season on loan with Leeds United. He joined Marcelo Bielsa’s side temporarily from his parent club Brighton and Hove Albion earlier this year. The 22-year-old wasted no time in establishing himself as a regular at Elland Road and his hard work has certainly paid off.
He has made 16 second-tier appearances for Leeds this term but is yet to get a taste of top-flight football at the senior level. But that hasn’t stopped the likes of Liverpool and United from registering an interest in him.
Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have been signing some top talent lately. And as far as United are concerned, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s recruitment drive places a strong emphasis on signing younger players.
While both clubs have all the tools to work wonders in White’s development as a footballer, let’s take a look as to which club would be best for the youngster.
The Red Devils have made a rather bumpy start to the ongoing Premier League campaign. Despite putting up a commanding display against Chelsea in their first league game of the season, United have hardly looked like the same side since then.
Lately, there have been improvements and signing a talented youngster like White would be an excellent long-term move. As far as their defence is concerned, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof have been the first-choice pairing but barring them, Solskjaer does not have too many reliable options to fall back on.
They do have plenty of players who could be utilized in that role but not many of them have impressed thus far.
The Merseysiders are flying high and are perched firmly atop the Premier League table. With a solid chance of winning the much-elusive league title, last season’s Champions League winners are showing no signs of slowing down.
However, as far as their defence is concerned, they have one of the best in Virgil van Dijk. The Dutchman has been rock-solid for them and the Reds also have the likes of Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren to rely on.
That said, a budding centre-back like White would be an excellent addition, considering the fact that they have numerous different competitions to deal with.
While a move to a club that’s on the rise like Liverpool would be tantalizing, White would be better off joining United instead. Solskjaer is building a young and exciting squad at Old Trafford and the 22-year-old defender has all the tools to nail down a regular spot for himself in the near future.
At Liverpool, however, he might not be as lucky when it comes to breaking into the first-team. Hence, White must prioritize a move to join the Red Devils instead of the Merseysiders.