Former Leeds United man Noel Whelan has insisted that Ben White is better than Pontus Jansson, after the defender's impressive start to life at Elland Road.

The 21-year-old put pen to paper on a season-long loan move from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer, and has since established himself as a hugely important player under Marcelo Bielsa.

Following the departure of Pontus Jansson to Brentford, the Brighton loanee has started every one of Leeds' six Championship matches thus far, putting in a series of impressive displays alongside Liam Cooper.

Leeds fans questioned the impact White would make when he first arrived at Elland Road, given that his previous loan spells came in League One and League Two with Peterborough and Newport respectively.

But talking to Football Insider, Whelan has admitted that he has been "stunned" by the centre-half's season so far, and has insisted that he is better than Bees defender Jansson.

He said: "Ben White is better than Pontus Jansson, he’s stunned me how good he is - he ticks every single box bar dominance in the air.

"He does challenge and win headers, but he is not as influential in the air as Jansson. But Ben White is better at defending, more disciplined and more intelligent in his positioning.

"He knows his job and doesn’t get caught out like Jansson. He stays close to Liam Cooper and those two are both really good on the ball and bringing it out of defence."

Leeds succumbed to their first defeat of the season on Saturday afternoon, losing 1-0 to table-toppers Swansea City thanks to Wayne Routledge's 90th minute strike.

Bielsa's side currently occupy third spot in the Sky Bet Championship table, and travel to Oakwell to face Barnsley after a short international break.

The Verdict

White has been so impressive since signing for Leeds, and he's surprised plenty of people since putting pen to paper at Elland Road.

When he first came in, it looked as if he would be a back-up option to Cooper and Jansson, but when the latter left for Brentford in the summer, fans demanded a new, experienced replacement.

But White has stepped up to the plate with ease, and it's clear to see why Bielsa rated him so highly in the first place. He is so good at playing the ball out from the back and is fairly decent in the air.