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Leeds among several clubs interested in Brighton centre-back Haydon Roberts

Leeds Inited manager Marcelo Bielsa speaks to Jordan Stevens  - GETTY IMAGES
Leeds Inited manager Marcelo Bielsa speaks to Jordan Stevens - GETTY IMAGES

Leeds are among several clubs interested in Brighton centre-back Haydon Roberts, who is expected to follow Ben White off the production line of talent at the Amex Stadium.

White, 22, has been at Elland Road on loan this season where he has helped Marcelo Bielsa’s team get within sight of promotion from the Championship. Roberts, 18, is seen as a player who could also make an impact in senior football.

Brentford and Derby have also been monitoring his progress, while RB Leipzig and Mainz have sent scouts from Germany to watch him for Brighton’s Under-23s. The teenager also made his first-team debut this season when he scored in the EFL Cup defeat to Aston Villa in September.

Roberts has impressed in Brighton’s Academy after coming through the ranks in the last five years. It has earned him more than 20 caps at England youth level and he was the Under-17s standout performer last year in a poor European Championship in Ireland.

Roberts has been compared to White, who has played in every Championship game for Leeds this season and seen his value rise beyond £30million in the transfer market.

Brighton now have a choice to make on whether to cash in on White, who has been tracked by the big clubs in the Premier League after his loans saw him progress from League Two with Newport and also League One with Peterborough.

Roberts’ similar potential has seen clubs looking to propose a deal that will see the teenager get regular football in the second-tier, or in Germany where Jadon Sancho has led the way for English youngsters looking for chances to impress away from the Academy system.

RB Leipzig have previously taken Ademola Lookman, Ethan Ampadu and Emile Smith-Rowe from the Premier League.