Ben White is going nowhere, Leeds United fans reassured

Ben White of Leeds United gesturing towards the travelling fans at the end of the match. (PIcture: James Hardisty)

There is ‘no chance at all’ that Leeds United’s star loanee Ben White will return to his parent club Brighton in January.

The centre-half has made himself an instant favourite with fans at Elland Road thanks to his cool, calm, collected style of play, despite never having previously experienced life in the Championship.

The 22-year-old has slotted straight into Marcelo Bielsa’s defence, forming a solid partnership with Liam Cooper and becoming key to the Leeds United style of play.

His ability on the ball and willingness to retain possession has been eye-catching. Defensively the youngster has barely put a foot wrong and is one of a great number of Bielsa’s players who deserve credit for their miserly goals against column – the Whites have conceded only nine times in 16 league games.

Ben White arriving at WIgan for Leeds United (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)

The consistency with which he has performed is, according to Bielsa, difficult to achieve and it has led to fears among the Leeds faithful that Brighton could seek to recall their defender in January.

Premier League giants like Liverpool have already been linked with a big-money move for White, adding to Leeds fans’ concerns.

Players on season-long loans can be recalled by their parent club in the January transfer window. but only if the two clubs have agreed a recall clause in advance.

It is understood that the only way Brighton could take him back to the AMEX Stadium was if he failed to play a certain percentage of Leeds’ games.

To date, White has played every single minute of Leeds’ 16 Championship matches, started the EFL Cup game at Salford and came off the bench at half-time against Stoke City in the same competition, meaning he has missed just 45 minutes of action all season.

The certainty that he will remain central to Bielsa’s plans will leave Brighton with no recourse to remove him from Elland Road in January and there were no other recall options inserted in the deal that took him to Leeds.

A source said: “There is no chance at all of a recall, which is good news for Leeds fans.”

Brighton themselves are ‘delighted’ with the progress White is making in his third loan stint. Previous spells at Newport County in League Two and at Peterborough United in League One were deemed a success, before his latest step up in competition.