Former Premier League midfielder Rob Lee says that Brighton defender Ben White would be the perfect addition to the current Liverpool side.
Liverpool have reportedly been interested in signing him for some time now, with The Athletic noting their interest in the 23-year-old as far back as November 2019, whilst the injury to Virgil Van Dijk earlier this season has intensified the debate about Liverpool’s need to sign a centre-back.
Lee told The Transfer Tavern that he believes the signing of White wouldn’t just help Liverpool this season, but can also offer them something in future seasons as well:
He said: “There’s no secret they need a centre-half. It’s a case of ‘can they get who they want in this window?’ Which I doubt. Ben White, I think would be a very, very good signing for them, can play with Van Dijk when he’s fit.
“They’ve had horrendous injuries at centre-half and it affects everything. Van Dijk not being in there affects the full-backs. Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and [Andy] Robertson have been nowhere as good as they were last year, for whatever reason.”
Would you take Ben White at Liverpool?
No
Yes
TIF Thoughts on Rob Lee suggesting Liverpool should sign Ben White…
Lee makes the point about how much Liverpool need a dominant centre-back again, with it not just being the defence that is struggling with the absence of Van Dijk.
However, for all the talk about how promising White is as a player, there is something that has to be said about him potentially making the step up to playing for Liverpool having played in the Championship for Leeds, and now near the bottom of the Premier League for Brighton.
To put that much faith in someone to make that jump and get Liverpool back to where they have been in the past two seasons is taking an awfully big risk, especially for someone who hasn’t even been called up for the England squad yet.
Not that it’s not impossible, having signed Andy Robertson from recently relegated Hull City and is now seen as arguably one of the best left-backs in the world, but Liverpool have to be absolutely sure if they are to go down the road of pursuing him.