Leeds had a nightmare with missed Ben White transfer
Ben White #BenWhite
Leeds United’s push to return to the Premier League in 2020 created plenty of heroes at Elland Road, as they finally crawled out of the Championship and back to the big time since 2004.
Whilst Marcelo Bielsa was lauded as a legend in Yorkshire, there was a solid spine to the side that ensured their dominance resulted in a title win.
Patrick Bamford excelled with his goalscoring exploits, whilst Kalvin Phillips held down the midfield with poise and power.
However, loanee Ben White was the true rock that underpinned their defence success. In that campaign, they conceded just 35 goals throughout the 46-game season.
A Brighton & Hove Albion player, his presence in the Whites’ side was always to be short-lived, although fans quickly fell in love with him.
This love developed into a long transfer saga, when the Seagulls slapped a huge price tag on the English defender knowing his stock was at its highest.
Victor Orta would not budge on his own valuation, however, and after playing a season at the Amex White was later sold to Arsenal for a whopping £50m fee.
And, despite a somewhat shaky start last season, this campaign has seen White earn huge acclaim as he has deputised across the whole back line for Mikel Arteta’s sensational new-look Gunners.
Finding his main place at right-back, he gives a huge solidity that has seen his side concede only ten goals in the Premier League this season as they sit top of the tree.
The £120k-per-week stalwart was laughed at for his initial price tag yet has somehow managed to turn himself into a bargain.
He ranks in the top 15% for progressive passes and the top 17% for progressive carries of centre-backs in Europe’s big five leagues, outlining him as a fine ball-playing defender who can get stuck in too.
This is proven in his average of 2.4 tackles and 1.6 clearances per Premier League game so far this season. The 24-year-old perfectly pairs finesse with the attributes that saw him labelled “solid” by journalist Clint Smith.
Leeds will be kicking themselves that they didn’t just fork over whatever Brighton wanted now, given how he has gone on to be at the core of a title-chasing defence.
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