Exclusive: Major Ben White transfer development

Brighton and Hove Albion have told Leeds United they are delighted with Ben White's loan spell this season, Football Insider has learned.

The defender, 22, has made a huge impact for United in his first taste of Championship action and is being scouted by some of the top Premier League clubs.

A Leeds source has told Football Insider that the club have been reassured by Brighton they have no plans to recall White from his season-long loan in the January transfer window.

There has been speculation that White's excellent form could persuade Brighton to take him back for the second half of the campaign and slot him into Graham Potter's side.

But the Premier League club are 12th in the league and have strength in depth at centre-back, including first-choice pair Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy, as well as £20million summer signing Adam Webster and giant Dan Burn.

Football Insider revealed in October that Liverpool are keeping close tabs on White and they have earmarked him as a potential superstar.

Other leading Premier League clubs are also beating a path to Elland Road to check out the centre-back, who has yet to play in the English top flight, and had never played in the Championship before this season.

Leeds do not have an option to sign White permanently at the end of his loan, something denied them by Brighton when negotiating the deal in the summer.

White has started all 20 of United's Championship matches this season and been part of a defence that has remarkably conceded only 10 goals, comfortably the best ratio in the four professional English divisions.

He deputised in central midfield in Saturday's 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town in place of the suspended Kalvin Phillips.

In other Leeds United news, Paul Robinson, who is at Thorp Arch three nights a week, drops transfer BOMBSHELL.