An in-demand defender who paddleboards – All you need to know about Ben White

The 23-year-old only made his Premier League debut in September.

Uncapped Brighton defender Ben White has been included in England’s provisional 33-man squad for the European Championship.

The 23-year-old’s selection by national team manager Gareth Southgate comes following an impressive first season of Premier League action.

Here, the PA news agency highlights seven things you may not know about the ball-playing centre-back.

“Booted out” by Southampton

Born in Poole, Dorset in October 1997, White’s first steps towards professional football were taken just along the south coast at Southampton. He joined a successful academy which helped launch the careers of Alan Shearer, Theo Walcott, Wayne Bridge, Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as well as Wales forward Gareth Bale. But, in his own words, he was “booted out” by Saints aged 16 in 2014, before bouncing back from the rejection by seizing the chance of a trial with then-Championship club Brighton.

Rapid rise of the loan ranger

White is on the brink of an international debut having played in four different divisions during the past four seasons. He was hailed as Newport’s greatest loan signing by Exiles manager Michael Flynn after starring for the club in League Two in 2017-18. He spent the second half of the following campaign with League One Peterborough and was then ever-present for Leeds in their Championship title-winning team of 2019-20. White only made his Premier League debut in September – Brighton’s 3-1 loss at home to Chelsea – and missed just two top-flight fixtures all campaign, capping a remarkable rise.

Wembley experience

Ben White, right, spent the 2017-18 season on loan at League Two Newport, including playing an FA Cup tie against Tottenham at Wembley (Adam Davy/PA)

Brighton pride

Captain Lewis Dunk was the last Brighton player to represent England (Mike Egerton/PA)

In demand

Whether White sticks around to make that small piece of history is another matter. He has been repeatedly linked with a move away from the Amex Stadium, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Italian club Roma among those rumoured to be interested. White has three years left on the contract he signed in September to fend off interest from former loan club Leeds and would not come cheap. Brighton boss Graham Potter compared White to a £25million new signing at the start of the season and, given the growth in his status since, recent reports suggesting the Seagulls would now demand double that figure may not be unrealistic.

Prefers paddleboarding to watching football

Compared to Ferdinand and Stones

Ben White has been likened to Manchester City defender John Stones, right — White has been likened to Manchester City defender John Stones, right (Michael Steele/PA)