Liverpool lurking with £20m for Brighton defender

Brighton and Hove Albion's determination to keep on-loan defender Ben White could be severely tested amid reported interest from Liverpool.
Brighton and Hove Albion defender Ben White is on loan at Leeds UnitedBrighton and Hove Albion defender Ben White is on loan at Leeds United
Brighton and Hove Albion defender Ben White is on loan at Leeds United

White, 22, has impressed for Leeds United this season and has blossomed in the Championship under their Argentine head coach Marcelo Bielsa.

White has struck-up a reliable central defensive partnership with club captain Liam Cooper, as Bielsa's men have shipped just seven goals in the 11 Championship games White has played.

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White, who is contracted to Brighton until June 2022, is clearly loved at Elland Road but his displays have also impressed Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

The Champions League winners are said to be ready to test Brighton's resolve and could be prepared to opening the bidding at £20m for the defender who previously had loan spells at Newport County and Peterborough.

Liverpool are reportedly keen to find a replacement for Dejan Lovren and they see White, who won the EFL Championship PFA Player of the Month for August, as the ideal man.

White leads the division for interceptions made per 90 minutes and is in the Championship top 20 for passing accuracy, with 87.1 per cent of his passes finding a team-mate.

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Brighton view White as a Premier League player in the making and have hopes he can follow the likes of Aaron Connolly and Steven Alzate in going from their academy to the first team.

Albion are expected to resist any moves for White from Liverpool or any other club keen to prise the youngster away.