Reports from the Daily Mail in October had emerged that Liverpool could make a £20m January move for Brighton’s defender Ben White who is currently on loan with Leeds United. White is seen as a replacement for Dejan Lovren who evidently doesn’t have a long term future with the Reds.
Why Liverpool can’t sign White in January?
However, Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross in a Q and A revealed that White had played enough game which would ensure that Brighton wouldn’t be able to call him back in January. It is believed that the Seagulls do have an option to recall the centre back in January, but that option only kicks in when he doesn’t make a stipulated amount of appearances.
White is unlikely to be recalled back as he has played in every Championship game so far and the English defender has emerged as a mainstay for the Yorkshire outfit. With Liverpool now being unable to get him in January, we believe that they should look to sign White in the summer of 2020.
The Reds have a decent amount of depth in the centre back role to cope with injury troubles this season. Lovren, who came close to leaving in the summer, has put in some assured displays at the back. Along with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomes and Joe Matip are the other centres back alternatives for Klopp.
Why should Klopp go after White in summer?
The 22-year-old who had never played in the Championship before this season has looked at ease at the back and he is one of the primary reasons why the Whites have the best defensive record in the division so far as they have let in just nine goals in 16 games.
Reports in Daily Star said that Liverpool scouts were blown away by White’s performance at Elland Road this season. The defender is a brilliant reader of the game, and he is often in the right position at the right time to see out dangers. He hardly feels stretched in defence as White always seems a step ahead of his man.
The centre back is even capable of playing out from the back, and he is calm and comfortable in possession. He might have to improve on the aerial front a bit, but there are hardly any standout weaknesses’ to his game. Liverpool should be all over him as Lovren is in his thirties now. £20m for White will likely look like a bargain in a few years once he settles in the Premier League.
