As per BBC Sport reporter Simon Stone (Twitter – below), Leeds United’s 3rd and alleged ‘take it or leave it’ bid for Ben White has been rejected by Brighton. It was said to be a bid where United were willing to walk away and it was a bid that reinforces the Seagulls message of ‘hands-off’!
As per @AndyNaylorBHAFC, a third bid from @LUFC turned down for Brighton defender Ben White. £25m plus add-ons. Club repeat White not for sale. Martin Montoya is though, he is talking to Real Betis.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) August 21, 2020
Of course, Ben White needs little to no introduction to us as Leeds United fans. We saw that instant poise and swagger as he took the Championship by storm. As biased as football fans can be, any true follower of football that didn’t rate him as the top centre-back in the division last season needs to nip along to Specsavers for an appointment.
He featured in EVERY minute of EVERY Leeds United game in the Championship. He epitomised EXACTLY what Marcelo Bielsa was looking for in a central defender to succeed in his system of play at Elland Road. He came in, replaced a seasoned international defender in Pontus Jansson and, to be brutally honest, breezed through his first season of second-tier football.
However, enough is enough and it’s surely time to take stock and simply sack off any further interest in Ben White, as hard as that may be. Walk away with dignity, rather than scrabble around with a begging bowl in desperation. It will be hard, very hard, especially knowing that Ben White has turned down as many contract offers as Leeds United have put in bids.
It’s obvious that he doesn’t want to be at Brighton any longer and, surely, a formal transfer request will be put in soon by the youngster. Should that happen, then Leeds should go back in with a proper final offer saying ‘here’s what we are paying and not a penny more!’
However, now is the time to say sayonara to Ben White and the accompanying Brighton petulance.
