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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Expert Roundup feature, which provides three quotes from those in the know in order to illuminate fundamental strengths, weaknesses, quirks, stylistic comparisons and general observations of players, transfer targets and confirmed signings.

With all of the coming and going in the transfer market this summer the season-long loan deal that took 21-year-old centre-back Ben White from Brighton to Leeds barely caused a stir.

Seven weeks into the new campaign, however, and people are starting to retrospectively notice now with White an ever-present in a side that sit proudly atop the Championship table.

Continuity, though, is the least pertinent of the many reasons why the Poole-born defender is beginning to win plaudits. His performances at the heart of the Leeds back-line have been so impressive that he is presently in Whoscored’s team of the season, while the quality of his pro-active, progressive defending is said to have surprised Marcelo Bielsa, a man not known to underestimate anyone or anything.

If he keeps this up a bright Premier League future – either with parent club Brighton or promotion-chasing Leeds – surely beckons with possible international honours to follow so perhaps it’s long overdue we discovered more about a player whose timely tackles, composure on the ball, and shrewd distribution make him a thoroughly modern enforcer.

Who is White and how good is he?

Football Fancast gathered the views of those who know him best to find out…

Mike Flynn, Newport manager

Having come through the Seagulls academy, White’s loan spell at Newport County in 2017/18 proved to be the making of him with the teenager eventually winning the club’s Player of the Year award by a landslide.

Indeed, so impressive were his displays that the Exiles’ coach Flynn described him as the best loan signing the club had ever made and below he details why, as per the Yorkshire Evening Post:

“Straight away we could see, he held his own in League Two and not just in League Two; he held his own against very good players, ie when he played against Leeds in the cup and when we played against Tottenham.

“He was marking Harry Kane for a lot of that and you could see nothing fazed him, he had confidence in his own ability.

“He can handle himself physically, he can handle himself technically. If he made a mistake he’d be the first one to hold his hands up and try not to do it again. He’s a very intelligent footballer.”

Watch the likes of Harry Kane, Virgil van Dijk and Neymar react to their FIFA 20 ratings in the video below…

Steve Evans, former Peterborough boss

Still deemed too callow for top flight combat – and with Brighton’s defensive partnership of Duffy and Dunk too established to break up – a second loan move followed, this time up a division to Peterborough. At London Road he set about wowing his new temporary gaffer as much as his first, as per Peterborough’s official website:

“I first became aware of Ben when he joined Newport County on-loan last season. I watched him on a number of occasions and he was outstanding in the games that I saw.

“I have also taken the opportunity to watch a number of games he has played for Brighton under 23s and he was one of two or three that stood head and shoulders above and ready to further their career.

Liam Cooper, Leeds defender

It would be naive to analyse a central defender’s performances without considering how their partner has fared. In White’s case, he has enjoyed a fruitful relationship with Liam Cooper and their natural understanding has contributed towards the former’s rising reputation.

And Cooper has certainly been impressed with how the loanee has bedded in at Elland Road, highlighting the maturity of his approach as a defining feature, per Yorkshire Evening Post.

“It’s a pleasure to play alongside him.

“I have had a lot of people say to me how good is he and I have said he is top, he is going to be unbelievable.

“He’s 21 years old and he plays the game as if he has played 600 league games.

“He’s so calm on the ball and it helps us.

“It oozes confidence through us and he’s been unbelievable so far but it’s a 46 game season and he’s got to keep his head right and keep his attitude right and he’ll go on to have an amazing career.”

Verdict

White can play on the right side of defence as well as in the centre so versatility is also a plus. But much more encouraging is the fact that he has bowled over previous managers.

Will Graham Potter be next? Don’t bet against it.