Graham Potter responds to rumours linking Ben White with Liverpool move

Follow us on Google Discover

Brighton and Hove Albion boss Graham Potter has told The Argus that speculation linking Ben White with a move to Liverpool is just ‘noise’.

Liverpool suffered a major defensive blow last weekend, as Virgil van Dijk suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury against Everton, likely ruling him out for the season.

With Dejan Lovren not replaced over the summer and Joel Matip also injured, Liverpool now find themselves in something of a defensive crisis.

Jurgen Klopp may now be tempted to dip into the transfer market in January, and the Daily Mail report that Liverpool do fancy Brighton star White.

They claim that Liverpool have reservations about his height, given that he is three inches shorter than Van Dijk, but he remains a target.

White, 22, has impressed in his first few weeks of Premier League action, having made a name for himself in the Championship on loan at Leeds United last season.

Many are tipping White for England recognition, and his ability to play out from the back certainly makes him a sensible target for Liverpool if they can overlook his height issues.

Now though, Seagulls boss Potter has suggested that the rumours of a move to Anfield are just noise right now, and doesn’t think they will affect White at all, believing he will remain professional even with the Reds allegedly looking towards him.

“I think it is a bit like it was at the start of the season. All sorts of talk about him doing this, him doing that, and it is generated by outside, by outside of our control really,” said Potter. “It is part of the football noise. The transfer window closed last week and we are already having conversations around transfer speculation. It’s just the way it is.”

“I know he is level-headed enough to not let it affect him. I think at this level you have to know it is part of the territory, it is part of the job of being a footballer, part of what you have to deal with. Consistently all he has done is get on with his football, all he has done has come into training, be professional, tried his best, and tried to play football. I have no concerns about Ben,” he added.