The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (,Monday 17th August) - Leeds table new £35m bid for Ben White

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Monday 17th August, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Leeds table new £35m for Ben White

According to The Sun, so take it with a pinch of salt, Leeds have tabled a new bid of £35m for Brighton defender Ben White. Leeds have had a series of offers turned turn in recent times for the 22 year old, but Messra Orta and Radrizzani are not giving up. The new offer is made up of £30m cash, plus a further £5m in add-ons. But Brighton are set to reject it out of hand, valuing their star at more than £50m.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Leicester, Tottenham and both sides of Manchester have all been in touch with the seagulls regarding White's availability. Was this a clever move by Leeds? Multiple sources claim White is keen on reuniting with is former team mates at Elland Road, but what kind of advantage does that give Leeds over their competition; all of which are able to blow Leeds offer out of the water! If you knew you could tie the deal up at £40m, would you go for it?





Leeds looking to bolster midfield by signing Norwegian ace

French outfit Toulouse are battling it out with Leeds for 24-year-old Fredrik Aursnes according to the Sun. The Molde defensive midfielder broke into the senior team at Hodd as a 16-year-old. He made over 100 appearances before moving on to Molde FK in 2016. The Norwegian was snapped up by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during his spell in Norway. Aursnes has represented Norway at U18 and U21 level as well as over a century of caps and 14 goals at the Aker Stadium (Molde). Aursnes has two years left on his contract but is keen to test himself away from Norway.





Cabral now No1 target?

Speculation over the weekend has been rife regarding Basel striker Arthur Cabral. Cabral, 22, was a star for Basel this past season, smashing 18 goals and six assists in 39 games for the Swiss side. The Brazilian was on loan from Palmeiras, but recently made his move permanent for around €4million (£3.6million).

The Whites have lodged a £16.3m offer for the Brazilian over the weekend after Bielsa specifically asked for Cabral to be signed. Although the Swiss side would be making over 300% profit on their investment, they are holding off for 20m euros (£18.1million). Leeds current offer is around £13.5million up front and the rest in add-ons.

[SG90]

Absolute bo11ocks. Our last bid was £22m but we're going to jump all the way up to £35m? £50m?

[Richard]

Good Morning to everyone....

Ben White - Hugely disappointing that Bielsa won’t admit defeat in trying to sign him. White isn’t worth £20m not alone £35m this seems to be the stubborn side of Bielsa that will hinder us. He obviously sees a defender with one decent season behind him as more important than splashing out on a big replacement for Bamford.

It also shows we are looking for someone to challenge not replace Bamford, my excitement for who we might sign is draining away, what are we playing at...

[Scoobychief]

Absurd if this is true 35m is way over the odds brighton needs to do nothing but just keep saying no but i bet will accept this 35m offer that is far too much for him we could offer brentford 35m for watkins and benrahma. wowsa talk about obsession with white, yeah he was our best players last season after hernandez, but 35m could get 2 CB which we need instaead of 1.

[Irish Ian]

This is starting to sound like geting White is one of Bielsas requirements. Which is a concern for me.

We can not spend over half the war chest on Ben White.

This is probably the worst season to get promoted in a financial sense and we are about to double the club record transfer fee on a defender....

Last season we gave away our player of the year and now we are trying to bankrupt our fight for survival with his replacement.

[HarryofOz]

That Bielsa he is so stubborn sticking with Bamford and playing the same team every week. What is he playing at, cry the fans.

What happened?

[SG90]

Is this 'Football Insider' talking crap again?

[Ellandback1]

Is this 'Football Insider' talking crap again?

Nope, The Sun

[rrfierce]

35m way too much, brighton clearly don't want to sell to us, we need to move on and sign koch instead.

We can also sign Cabral with the money we've saved. He looks a player, perfect for bielsa, very similar to bamford (hopefully better!)

[Ellandback1]

The Square Ball had had an interview over the last few days with Angus Kinnear.

The SB asked our Managing Director whether investment of 75-100m be a realistic figure to be able to compete?

Kinnear replied, its in that ball park!

We have spent 21.5m so far, mostly on Costa!

Here's a thought Costa for Benrahma plus 10m for Brentford?

[Gandalf]

It is from the Sun - enough said.

[Byebyegeegee]

I’m kind of hoping now, that we don’t succeed in getting Ben White. Because, if the figure of £35m is true (and I hope it isn’t), then that is way, way too much and it feels like Brighton are sadistically enjoying making us look like fools, surely we can’t be that desperate or naive!

Cabral looks good but again, at the figure quoted, Basel would be set to at least quadruple their money in just over a year.

I really don’t know whether to believe any of the media speculation regarding our targets but they all seem to have one thing in common - Leeds having to pay extortionate prices and, probably, well over the players real value, to get anyone in!

[Fridge]

£35m is absurd, not a chance in hell we would ever pay that figure. Thankfully, it's been reported by the S*n so probably a lie.

Listened to both the Kinnear interview and Phil Hay Show yesterday, made for interesting listening for sure. Phil Hay states that there was no £30m bid as widely reported earlier in the week, seems strange that we would jump from £22m to £35m.

I've stopped believing any of the media speculation about Leeds targets, it would take an hour to count the players we've been linked with. I think realistically, a lot of these are players that Leeds have enquired about, but this is as far as it has gone.

Sadly, after the Dan James fiasco, there's not a single signing rumour that I will 100% believe until confirmed and announced.

[SG90]

Nope, The Sun

Even worse then.

[SG90]

This is all down to scum ruining the transfer market £80m for Maguire.

[SG90]

Upamecano would cost about £60m who is a key player for a top club. A Championship CB who is no guarantee to start should not cost £50m.

[Ellandback1]

Am I the only person who thinks that within a season a two White could be worth over 50m.

If thats the case I don't see whats wrong with offering 35m

We've spent 21.5m so far this season, and our budget looks to be around 75-100m

[Finnatic]

Upamecano would cost about £60m who is a key player for a top club. A Championship CB who is no guarantee to start should not cost £50m.

He did look the part the other night

[SG90]

Am I the only person who thinks that within a season a two White could be worth over 50m.

If thats the case I don't see whats wrong with offering 35m

We've spent 21.5m so far this season, and our budget looks to be around 75-100m

Then we turn into Man Utd and we overpay for every player as clubs see that we're mugs who would overpay.

[Cjay]

Am I the only person who thinks that within a season a two White could be worth over 50m.

If thats the case I don't see whats wrong with offering 35m

We've spent 21.5m so far this season, and our budget looks to be around 75-100m

That sums it up unfortunately Ell Imo.

"Think".

Absolutely no evidence exists that Ben White can play Premier league football to the standard he would need to to justify becoming one of the top 20 most expensive centre backs of all time.

A player whose played 1 season at 2nd division level would be in a list above Mats Hummels, Alessandro Nesta, Jaap Stam, Sergio Ramos, Walter Samuel.

Or more recently.

French World Cup winners Benjamin Pavard, Samuel Umtiti.

We think he can, even very strongly think he can but as a club are we really in a position to make a player one of the top 20 most expensive cbs ever based on 1 season at 2nd division level?