Here are your Leeds United evening headlines on Monday, March 28.
White discusses football journey
Ben White does not believe his loan spell at Leeds United was where he progressed the most in his young career. The defender joined the Whites in 2019 ahead of Marcelo Bielsa's second season at the club and he proved to be a major success as he helped them to the Championship title.
Prior to that spell at Leeds, White started his professional career at Brighton after being released by Southampton, before making his first-team debut as an 18-year-old in the 2016/17 season. He would not play for the Seagulls again until 2020 as he went out on loan to Newport County in League Two, Peterborough United in League One, and then Leeds in the second tier.
White played 51 times for the Welsh outfit and was hailed by Newport's manager at the time, Michael Flynn, as the club's best-ever loan signing. He racked up 16 appearances for The Posh in the second half of the 2018/19 season but many stood up and took notice of his spell at Elland Road as he helped Leeds earn promotion to the top flight.
READ MORE: Leeds United uncertainty amid Raphinha transfer interest can earn club extra €50 million
The Brighton academy product played every single minute of their Championship-winning campaign under Marcelo Bielsa and his performances led to something of a transfer saga in the summer of 2020. The Whites reportedly had several bids, the highest of which was £30million, turned down by the Sussex side. He has gone on to impress for Arsenal and Brighton in the top flight.
But did he improve the most at Leeds? Is that where White became the player that we know today? Not according to the Poole-born centre-back. In an interview with Ellevate Football that came out earlier this month but was recorded when he was at Brighton last season, White tackled this Leeds question head-on.
"No. I don't think so. There were a lot of years of work before that one stage of my career. But I was playing for a big team, on the big stage, getting looked at every week," he said.
"I think if you looked at my clips before that season it probably would be quite similar. I think it's just the amount of people seeing me that year."
Raphinha tipped to stay at Leeds
Leeds United winger Raphinha has been linked with a move away for some time now and as Leeds’s Premier League status is still up in the air, the rumours are louder than ever. Raphinha, 25, has been a key player in Marcelo Bielsa’s side throughout the majority of the season , now with Jesse Marsh replacing Bielsa, he continues to be one of the first names on his team sheet.
With nine goals and three assists to his name, the Brazilian is attracting interest from big names in European football, with Liverpool on side linked with him. Reds legend John Barnes has had his say on continued reports linking Raphinha with Jurgen Klopp’s side, labelling him a ‘good fit’ for Liverpool - but he doesn’t expect the Brazilian to make the move.
Barnes told BonusCodeBets: “Roberto Firmino will not be leaving Liverpool this summer. Liverpool would love to keep him. If a player becomes available, they’d like to sign them, but Leeds United’s Raphinha has also been linked with Barcelona - it’s all speculation.
“You can pick any player out of the air and ask if they’d be good for Liverpool, as I always say with the likes of Yves Bissouma, but he probably won’t come to the club, the same with Kalvin Phillips. Raphinha would be a good fit for Liverpool, but I don’t expect him to move to the club.”
Twenty-year Brazil stat could be broken
Raphinha’s Brazilian teammates look well placed to break a 20-year record set by Marcelo Bielsa as they face Bolivia in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The Seleção have already qualified for the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year but could set history if they take all three points against a nation second from bottom in the qualification table.
Bielsa’s Argentina currently have the record for the most number of points accumulated in a single South American qualifying campaign when they achieved 43 back in 2002. However, Brazil need just two points from their final two games to beat that tally and could achieve it as soon as Wednesday as they make a trip to the side currently second bottom of the table – Bolivia.
The Leeds United winger, however, will not be involved as he did not travel for international duty after testing positive for Covid-19 prior to the Whites’ win at Wolves nine days ago. Raphinha and his international teammates have been almost faultless throughout qualification – winning 13 and drawing three of their 16 matches so far.
The 25-year-old has played a major part in that too since winning his first Brazil cap back in October. Raphinha has netted three goals and provided two assists in his seven appearances for Tite’s side, including an impressive brace in a scintillating 4-1 victory over Uruguay.
We want to hear your thoughts, so LOG IN and leave your comment below
