Brighton defender Ben White is interested in a move to Manchester United this summer, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.

What is the latest transfer news involving White?

United are on the lookout for a new centre-back ahead of next season, and have identified White as a potential target. The club have also been linked with Real Madrid's Raphael Varane and Villarreal's Pau Torres.

White is now believed to be open to a switch to Old Trafford.

How much is White worth and when does his contract expire?

It is understood that Brighton may demand a fee in excess of £35m in order to let White leave at the end of the season.

The South Coast club appear to be in a strong position when it comes to negotiating, as White still has over three years remaining on his contract.

What are White's stats this season?

White has been a regular fixture in the Brighton side this term, featuring in 28 of their 29 league matches.

During the course of the season, his ability to break up opposition attacks has stood out. As per WhoScored, White has made 47 interceptions in the league in 2020/21 - Harry Maguire (51) is the only United player who has made more.

White has also blocked 14 shots in the top-flight. Once more, Maguire (19) is the only member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad to better this number.

What has Bielsa said about White?

White spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Leeds. Back in January, Marcelo Bielsa heaped praise on his former player and the way that the youngster has developed over the past year.

As quoted by Leeds Live, Bielsa said: "Ben White has shown he is a Premier League player.

"All of us here admire him as a player.

"We respect him and love him as a human being. He was an excellent professional, as well as a team-mate.

"I hope his career allows him to grow because he deserves it."

Is White the final piece of the jigsaw for United?

Slowly but surely, Solskjaer has pieced together his defence this season. As the statistics above show, Maguire has been a solid presence in central defence, whilst full-backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw have also been reliable.

Was-Bissaka has been a consistent performer over the past two seasons, recording average game ratings from WhoScored of 7.19 and 7.13 in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Shaw has come on leaps and bounds this year. His average match rating from WhoScored has jumped from 6.85 last season to 7.03 this time around.

By adding White to their ranks, United may have found the missing piece of the jigsaw to complete their back four.

League leaders Manchester City signed Ruben Dias last summer, and have gone on to keep four more clean sheets whilst conceding 11 less goals than United this season.

It could be argued that this has ultimately decided the title race rather than the traditional potency of Pep Guardiola's side. 

Having White to call upon next term could be the boost that Solskjaer needs to bring his defence on parallel terms and help United close the gap on City.