Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa reportedly turned down the opportunity to sign Brighton defender Ben White on loan during his first summer at the club. 

Bielsa took charge of the club in July 2018 and has transformed the Whites into promotion frontrunners in the past two seasons.

His side narrowly missed out on the top two in the 2018/19 campaign, subsequently losing in the play-offs, and are currently top of the Championship.

Their success this term has been greatly helped by White, who has featured in every game this season and helped Leeds to concede the fewest goals in the division.

According to The Athletic, the Yorkshire club have been scouting the defender for some time and Bielsa turned down the chance to sign him during the summer of 2018.

It is understood that the Argentine coach felt he already had enough centre-backs in his squad.

The 22-year-old is set to return to Brighton at the end of the season and will be in-demand when he does, as it has been reported that Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City are interested in him.

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The Verdict

White has been fantastic for the Yorkshire club this season and looks likely to have a very impressive career ahead of him.

It's interesting to hear that Bielsa opted against a loan deal for White last season but given that he already had Liam Cooper and Pontus Jansson at the time, his stance on the move is understandable.

However, it's hard not to wonder whether the 22-year-old could have helped them get over the line last term.