Ben White – Bidding war could ensue as Tottenham and others enter the fray

Tottenham has entered the battle to sign Brighton defender Ben White, according to transfer reports from the Express newspaper. While it was previously believed that Arsenal was in pole position for the signature of the England international, as we reported on betpack.com last week, the waters have now become muddied. Tottenham has stepped up as potential suitors for the player, who have been monitoring closely, and may step up their interest with a firm offer for the signing of the highly-rated defender.

One glance at the Tottenham Hotspur defence, and you can see why they are considering making a firm bid. The ageing Toby Alderweireld is slowly but steadily approaching the end of his playing career, and Davinson Sanchez gives the impression of being inconsistent. Only Joe Rodon has seemed to be more at ease in the middle of the defence, but he is still too young to be expected to become the leader of the backline on his own.

White has had a strong season for Brighton and has looked at ease in the Premier League after making a move from the Championship last season. He also spent the 2019-20 season at Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United, where he contributed to the club's promotion to the Premier League.

Arsenal is still the strongest candidate

Arsenal was said to be the frontrunner in the battle for White. However, as his star continues to rise, more teams will enter the fray to acquire his services. Brighton, with whom he is under contract until 2022, has placed a hefty £50million value on its asset. They have previously rejected an offer from Arsenal for £40million and remain in a very strong position to receive what they value him for, especially if more than one offer is received for his services.

But there is more to consider

It comes as no surprise that Tottenham, as well as possibly Manchester United, Liverpool, and Real Madrid, are interested in signing the Brighton defender as he was selected for the England team in place of the suspended Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold. If picked in the matchday squad, his value will only increase, and if Brighton decides to sell him ahead of the new season, they will hold all the cards in this scenario.