Rumour Mongering: Liverpool Battle Arsenal for Ben White

Liverpool have made their big money centre half signing for the summer, bringing in Ibrahima Konaté from RB Leipzig by triggering the 22-year-old’s £36M release clause.

The rumour mongers, though, think that there just might be another big defensive signing on the horizon: Ben White, the Brighton and Hove Albion 23-year-old said to be available for a cool £50M.

Or at least that’s the story today from The Mirror, who splash an “exclusive” on their story about Arsenal being frontrunners for White but being pressed hard for him by the Reds, with Tottenham and Manchester United also sniffing around.

The reality is that while White may be a very good young defender, one all of those clubs have probably taken a look at, it sounds a lot like Brighton trying to spark a bidding war.

In Liverpool’s case in particular, unless Joël Matip departs in the summer, it’s simply a question of how they’re meant to fit a £50M centre half who isn’t as highly regarded as their just completed £36M signing into the picture, even taking injury concerns into account.

Even if Matip were to depart, it’s hard to see where a young £50M centre half needing regular minutes fits into the defensive picture. Plus there’s the issue of the Reds working with a limited budget and having more pressing needs elsewhere on the pitch now that they have signed Konaté.

None of which is meant as a comment on White. It’s simply to point out that an outlet claiming exclusive inside information on a transfer tale that has Liverpool ready to spend £50M probably isn’t getting their information from Liverpool.

They’re almost certainly getting it from Brighton. Who appear to be ready to try to cash in on White. Which they very well might manage to do. Just not by selling him to Liverpool.