Five-year-old Leeds fan offers pocket money to buy on-loan defender Ben White

A five-year-old Leeds United supporter has generously offered to use funds from his piggy bank to make Ben White's loan move from Brighton & Hove Albion permanent.

White has been a revelation since joining the Whites on a season-long loan from Brighton last summer.

In his debut campaign at Championship level, the 22-year-old defender has been a standout performer for Marcelo Bielsa's side.

However, Brighton have maintained that they will welcome White back into their first team for next season and plan to incorporate him into their plans.

And little Daniel Auton is so desperate to keep his favourite player at Elland Road he wrote to Brighton chief executive Paul Barber to offer his own funds to help seal the deal.

Dear Paul, I am 5 years old and I am a Leeds United fan. I am writing this letter to you regarding a player of yours who is currently on loan with us.

The player in question is my favourite player Ben White. If at all possible can we please, please, please buy Ben at the end of the season.

I have counted all my pennies in my piggy bank and I have £15.07 if this helps.

Unfortunately for Daniel though, his letter in return from Barber wasn't quite what he would have hoped for.

Thank you for your letter with your generous offer to help your favourite club Leeds United to buy our player Ben White. It's very good of you to offer all your money to help your club, and you clearly have a very good eye for exceptional young talent - perhaps scouting players could be your future job!

We have given your kind offer the serious consideration it deserves but I know our head coach Graham Potter, and our technical director Dan Ashworth, both consider Ben to be a very important part of our future plans so I'm afraid we are unable to sell Ben to Leeds United at this time.

We do however thank you once again for taking the time to write to us, Daniel, and we wish you and your family, and all at Leeds United, all the best for when we can start to play and watch football again. In the meantime, we hope that you and your family keep safe and well.

There is some hope for Daniel, though, as amazingly, Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani has now got involved.