Ian Harte believes that Ben White is good enough to play for a top-four Premier League side on the back of his impressive loan spell with Leeds United.

Leeds took on the task of nurturing White’s talent last summer, taking the centre-back on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion.

And, he’s featured in every minute of Leeds’ 2019/20 Championship season, impressing under Marcelo Bielsa’s gruelling demands and helping the Whites to the top of the table.

The Athletic have noted how Liverpool have consistently kept tabs on White, whilst Manchester City and Manchester United are known to have an interest in the Brighton man.

This week Football League World exclusively caught up with Ian Harte, who talked up White’s potential to make it at the top level.

“Definitely,” Harte emphatically responded when quizzed whether the 22-year-old was good enough for the top of the Premier League.

“You look at where he’s started off, he was at Newport then he went to Peterborough, but what a player; very comfortable on the ball, he’s got pace.

“I think he struggled a bit when he came up against (Aleksandar) Mitrovic, but, let’s be honest, I think he’s been outstanding this season and a player of his quality, definitely, is good enough for a top-four club.”

White’s previous spells with Newport and Peterborough came lower in the EFL and when he debuted for Leeds at Bristol City in early August, it was his first taste of Championship football.

For the most part, White has partnered Liam Cooper in central defence, but on occasion he’s stepped up into midfield in the place of Kalvin Phillips.