Leeds United’s efforts to sign Ben White on a permanent deal has been dealt a blow, with Brighton & Hove Albion reportedly valuing the defender at £50m.
White played a major role in last season’s promotion campaign, whether at centre back or occasionally in a holding midfield role, but Brighton understandably see a big future for him on the south coast and will only sell if they can guarantee a hefty return.
While the interest from Elland Road is evident, Brighton have already reportedly knocked back two bids and it remains to be seen whether the Seagulls’ asking price is too steep to justify a move this summer.
If Marcelo Bielsa’s team can’t stretch to £50m on one player, there are still other ways they can spend that kind of money as they look to build a Premier League-ready squad.
We’ve picked out three players who could be available for that amount combined , and who could boost Leeds' chances as they prepare for their first season back in the top flight.
Ollie Watkins
While Leeds may want to add Premier League experience to their ranks, there are a number of top talents in the Championship who they know all about already.
One of these players, Brentford striker Watkins, could be available for as little as £18m, though he may yet decide to stay in west London for another season and help the Bees launch a promotion charge.
Brentford are reportedly looking at potential replacements for the 24-year-old, who finished last season as the second-highest goalscorer in the Championship and netted in the play-off semi-finals against Swansea City.
Watkins’ 26 goals last season are evidence of a player who knows how to find the back of the net, and Leeds will be keen to add firepower in preparation for tough Premier League defences.
Michy Batshuayi
The Whites might not stop at just one forward, though, especially given the ongoing dispute around the future of Jean-Kevin Augustin .
Another name linked with an Elland Road move is Michy Batshuayi, who has the added benefit of having worked with Bielsa in the past.
The Belgian, who played under the Leeds boss at Marseille, also has Premier League experience under his belt: he might not have featured much for the Blues last season, but has scored goals for them and for Crystal Palace in the English top tier.
While Chelsea will be keen to recoup a chunk of the £33m they paid for him in 2016, Leeds may feel they can go lower than the reported £20m asking price, especially considering the London club’s addition of Timo Werner to their attacking ranks this summer.
Juan Foyth
If a deal for White can’t be clinched, Leeds will almost certainly be in the market for a new centre-back, either on loan or on a permanent deal.
Bielsa’s compatriot Juan Foyth has been linked with a move north, having found himself out of favour at Tottenham under Jose Mourinho.
Foyth, who joined Spurs for £8m from Estudiantes back in 2017, played just seven times for the club last season, with his last appearance coming against Norwich City at the end of December.
While the 22-year-old hasn’t given up on proving Mourinho wrong and holding down a first-team spot in north London, Leeds fans seem keen on a permanent move for the Argentine, especially if he is available for just £15m. He might not have a huge amount of top-flight experience, but he does at least know what it is like to step onto a Premier League and Champions League pitch against top opposition.
Furthermore, if Bielsa is able to find value in the loan market, we could yet see additional new faces arrive to shore up the back-line going into the 2020/21 campaign.
