OPINION
After coming so close to promotion back to the Premier League, Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa will know exactly where he needs to improve ensure his side are readying for a top flight campaign this time next year.
A third placed finish saw the Whites forced to undertake the lottery that is the Championship play-offs and having seen automatic promotion slip out of their grasp in the final weeks of the season, they ended up suffering semi final heartbreak to defeated finalists Derby County.
There are a number of areas which both fans and Bielsa might point towards as being a weakness during their unsuccessful campaign, with the lack of a 20-goal-a-season striker one and the lack of defensive reinforcements another.
The manager was missing experienced options at the back, especially in the heart of the defender and while Kalvin Phillips ended up partially filling the void, it was clear quality backup was needed for Pontus Jansson and Liam Cooper.
According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, this is why Leeds are to launch a loan bid for Brighton’s Ben White, the 21-year-old having spent the second half of last season with Peterborough United on a temporary deal.
It is stated that Bielsa wants competition on the bench for his senior options – but this could put a massive hurdle in the way of his plans.
Brighton based newspaper The Argus report that while the Seagulls are keen to see how the young talent gets on at a club like Leeds, the Whites clearly a cut above both Peterborough and White’s former loan side Newport County, they do not want him simply to act as cover and would walk away from any deal where that was the case.
Considering his lack of experience, Bielsa would most certainly not be expecting White to be playing as a regular feature in the starting XI and with Brighton’s demands of playing time seemingly on the table, his plans are surely in jeopardy.
It would be difficult, if not impossible, to convince the Premier League side he is going to be playing as regularly as they want – after all, they are set to be hunting promotion and as such cannot be taking gambles on unproven performers.
It looks as though Bielsa might have to turn to his plan B – whoever that might be – this summer. Their hunt for White may well be hanging by a thread.