A more likely centre back target for Tottenham Hotspur

Brighton’s Ben White is currently on loan at Leeds United, where he is lifting the Championship side to new heights, making their dream of Premier League promotion a possible reality. 

And Tottenham like what they see from White, as do other Premier League juggernauts like Chelsea and Liverpool. The 22-year-old would perfectly compliment Davinson Sánchez at the heart of defence. Resembling John Stones with the ball at his feet, White sprays the ball around the park with incredible accuracy and confidence.

Showing maturity beyond his years, White is a sought after commodity. The increased attention he is receiving from big clubs will make it impossible for Brighton to hold on to their prized asset. In their bid to gain Premier League promotion, Leeds cannot afford to lose their most important player. So it’s more likely the eventual suitor will have White at their disposal for the start of the 2020-2021 campaign.

While Tottenham are also keen on RB Leipzig centre back Dayot Upamecano, securing White is the more probable outcome. Of course Spurs will have to keep other potential suitors like Liverpool and Chelsea at bay, which is no easy task.

But it makes more sense to pursue White, who is a puritan footballer. White could play at No 6, as a holding defensive midfielder, such is his level of talent with the ball at his feet. Cool, calm and composed, he makes the right decisions and never dwells in possession, unlike a certain Juan Foyth.

To win the White sweepstakes Spurs will have to pay between £25-£30 million, a reasonable price for a player with such lofty potential.

The best thing about White is his ability to offset Sanchez’s skill set. White isn’t as athletic, nor is he quite as quick as the Colombian. But his football intelligence is unparalleled, and his ability on the ball resembles a certain Toby Alderweireld, who White, if he comes to Tottenham, will eventually unseat at the heart of the rearguard.

He and Sánchez could form a formidable central pairing for the better part of a decade, a move that would surely stabilize Tottenham’s defence for the foreseeable future.