Brighton
Tottenham signing this solid 22-year-old loanee would sort out defence for the next decade
Why signing White could solve Tottenham’s woes in defence
According to Sky Sports, Tottenham are monitoring Brighton defender Ben White, who is currently on loan at Leeds United.
The Seagulls defender has become a regular at Leeds under manager Marcelo Bielsa, making 26 league appearances, and playing 2 times in the Carabao Cup.
The 22-year-old centre-back has been a rock-solid presence at the back for Leeds this season, helping them to the top of the table after 26 games.
His excellent displays at the back have made the Whites one of the strongest defensive sides, conceding a mere 21 goals so far. Only Brentford, who have leaked in 20 goals have a better record than them in the Championship.
Despite turning heads with his standalone performances, the youngster has not made a single appearance for his parent club Brighton’s senior side until now.
Last year’s Champions League runners-up Tottenham, meanwhile, have conceded a lot of goals this season, which saw them stoop to the bottom half of the table. However, the arrival of new boss Jose Mourinho has stabilised a defence that has conceded as many as 30 league goals so far.
They are now sixth in the table, six points short of fourth-placed Chelsea but Mourinho would know that there is still a lot of work to be done if they wish to keep their hopes of a Champions League spot still alive.
That said, Spurs need some new faces in the squad, especially in the defence, with the side not making any defensive signings in the summer.
Former boss Pochettino had handed out the centre-back responsibilities to the side’s old guards Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, who were one of the best defensive duos in the Premier League once.
However, they look way past their prime now, which has been quite evident from their poor form early in the season. Mourinho’s arrival, however, opened the doors for Davinson Sanchez, who now guards the heart of the Spurs defence alongside Alderweireld.
Read more:
- Why Tottenham should let go of veteran defender Vertonghen
- Why Eric Dier could still be crucial to Tottenham’s plans
- Why Tottenham should soon sign Flamengo midfielder Gerson
Also, with Vertonghen’s contract set to expire in the summer, Tottenham are not left with too many options in central defence apart from Juan Foyth, who is yet to impress Mourinho.
White, meanwhile, is blessed with excellent tackling and interception skills, which might come in handy for a Tottenham backline that has leaked too many goals this season.
His 3.6 clearances and 2.6 interceptions per match in the Championship lay further claim to his defensive capabilities, making him an excellent fit at the North London side. (Source: Whoscored).
Verdict
Tottenham have been solely dependent on the Vertonghen-Alderweireld partnership for too long now and a new young face such as White could bring some energy and vigour back into a backline that has looked unstable this season.
Currently proving his mettle in the second division with some eye-catching displays, there is no doubt that the 22-year-old White is a bright talent. Thus, by bringing in the youngster, Tottenham will be able to resolve their ongoing issues at the back.
Brighton
Liverpool Boss Gareth Taylor Satisfied With Brighton Point Despite Missing Chance to Climb WSL Table as Reds Held to Goalless Stalemate
Gareth Taylor insists Liverpool can take positives from their goalless draw at Brighton despite the frustrating result leaving them stuck in 10th place in the Women’s Super League. The Reds failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity to close the gap on Aston Villa above them, with both sides creating chances but lacking the cutting edge to break the deadlock on Sunday afternoon.
The Liverpool manager acknowledged the physical nature of the contest when addressing reporters after the match, explaining how both teams pressed aggressively, which stretched the game between the boxes. Taylor believes his side showed enough quality to suggest better results are coming if they can improve their composure in possession and make smarter decisions in the final third.
Reds Dominated Second Half Spells
Liverpool grew into the contest after the interval, according to their manager, with a strong 15 minute spell where they controlled possession in dangerous areas around Brighton’s penalty area. Taylor felt his defense handled Brighton’s attacking threat better than Chelsea managed in their recent meeting with the Seagulls, limiting the hosts to very few clear cut opportunities.
The former Manchester City assistant stressed that cleaner decision making when in control of the ball will be crucial for turning these draws into victories during the run in. Liverpool created enough chances to win the match but struggled to find the clinical finishing required at this level of competition.
Summer Rebuild Already on Manager’s Mind
Taylor made no secret of his frustration at failing to gain ground on the teams directly above Liverpool in the standings. The manager confessed he is already thinking about the summer break as an opportunity to reset and prepare properly for a much improved campaign next season, hinting at potential squad changes.
Liverpool faces the Merseyside derby against Everton next weekend, giving them another chance to move up the congested mid table positions before the season concludes. Taylor will demand a more clinical performance from his attackers.
Chelsea hosts Brighton in Women’s Super League action at Kingsmeadow on Wednesday evening, with the Blues hoping to continue their good recent form. The match was rescheduled from the weekend just gone to allow Chelsea to compete in the League Cup final at Ashton Gate on Sunday.
Sonia Bompastor’s side picked up their first piece of silverware of the season courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Manchester United, with Lauren James and Aggie Beever Jones netting to ensure the Blues retained the trophy. Chelsea sits third in the table, a point behind second placed Manchester United and a point ahead of Arsenal, who have played a game fewer.
Kick-off: 19:00 GMT, Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Venue: Kingsmeadow, London
TV: Sky Sports Main Event, WSL YouTube
Blues Missing Key Defenders Through Injury
Chelsea will be without several key defenders for this encounter. Millie Bright is likely to miss the match following an injury, while Naomi Girma picked up a small calf injury that ruled her out of the League Cup final. Nathalie Bjorn suffered an injury during the final after only managing five minutes, and it does not look good according to Bompastor.
Kadeisha Buchanan made her return from an ACL injury in the final, which is brilliant news for the Blues. However, Bompastor will be cautious about overusing the Canadian defender, who has been out since November 2024.
Brighton Struggling for Form Recently
Brighton have lost three of their four WSL fixtures since Chelsea beat them 3-0 at the Broadfield Stadium in December. The Seagulls were most recently beaten 3-2 by West Ham on February 8, which continued their poor run of results.
This will be Brighton’s first WSL game since February 8, a gap of 38 days, which is absolutely massive. Such a long wait between top flight matches could work against Dario Vidosic’s side, who may lack match sharpness.
Predicted Lineups
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Hampton; Lawrence, Buchanan, Bjorn, Baltimore; Cuthbert, Nusken; Reiten, James, Ramirez; Beever-Jones
Brighton (4-2-3-1): Walsh; Bance, Pattinson, Kullberg, Pecho; Bergsvand, Losada; Bremer, Terland, Olme; Belloumou
Sonia Bompastor has confirmed that Millie Bright is likely to miss Chelsea‘s midweek match against Brighton and Hove Albion following an injury, and could be joined by two other players. The Blues’ captain missed out on their Women’s League Cup victory at Ashton Gate over Manchester United, providing a moment of joy in what has been an otherwise dour season for the reigning WSL champions.
With Chelsea out of the Women’s Super League title race and facing uphill tasks to win both the Women’s Champions League and Women’s FA Cup, Bompastor’s side still secured silverware for the seventh successive season by overcoming Manchester United thanks to goals from Lauren James and Aggie Beaver-Jones.
Naomi Girma Picked Up Small Injury
One of the big headlines before the match was the notable absence of defender Naomi Girma, who joined captain Millie Bright on the sidelines, leaving the Blues short at the back. When discussing the fitness of both centre backs following the match, Bompastor stated, “Naomi picked up a small injury in her calf. Hopefully, it’s not too bad, and she can be available for the next game.”
She added, “I don’t have a timeframe for Millie, but I would like her to be available as soon as possible, hopefully for the weekend. It’s crucial at this business end of the season to have all your players.”
Really Sad for Nathalie Bjorn
Another major injury occurred during the game, with Nathalie Bjorn only managing five minutes after her introduction as a replacement for the returning Kadeisha Buchanan. “It was really sad for her. It doesn’t look good. We need to assess her. We were all buzzing with Kadeisha starting, and part of the plan was for Nat to come in and get some minutes,” Bompastor said.
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