“The perfect destination” – Derby County win the race for Tottenham Hotspur player: The verdict | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Derby County completed the deadline day signing of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harvey White.

The 21-year-old arrives at Pride Park on loan for the rest of the season, with Football Insider reporting that the Rams fought off competition from Championship sides West Bromwich Albion and Luton Town and fellow League One outfits Oxford United and Barnsley to land his signature.

White, who has previously had a loan spell in the third tier with Portsmouth, made his senior debut for Spurs in the Europa League in November 2020 before starting an FA Cup match a couple of months later, but he has found his minutes limited this season.

He has made one substitute Premier League appearance for Antonio Conte’s men, with a late cameo in the win at Crystal Palace in early January.

We asked some of our FLW writers for their thoughts on the move.

James Reeves

This is a great move for both parties.

White will gain invaluable experience playing in a League One promotion race, while a manager like Paul Warne is the perfect manager for him to work under in the supportive environment he will create.

With concerns over the severity of Max Bird’s injury, his arrival could not have come at a better side for the Rams.

White is clearly a player with a lot of potential, underlined by the fact he has received league minutes from Conte this season and his previous League One experience with Portsmouth will make him well equipped to slot in to the team.

While it remains to be seen how much game time he will get, Pride Park seems like the perfect destination for White to continue his development.

Quiz: Are these 20 Derby County facts real or fake?

1 of 20

Derby County have won the top-flight title on two occasions

Real Fake

Billy Mulley

This has the potential to be a really strong addition at Derby County with Harvey White long been impressing at Premier League 2 level.

A technically-gifted midfielder with a tenacious side to his play, he has proven he can operate as an eight or a number six, whilst he can make contributions in the final third too.

Derby play an attractive brand of football which possibly points to why Tottenham Hotspur have sanctioned his loan departure to Pride Park.

As to whether or not I can see him starting week in week out, he will certainly have to earn his place in what is a competitive squad.

However, with the level of interest there was for him, I’m sure there are assurances involved that will see him start fairly regularly.

Marcus Ally

Harvey White is an exciting signing for Derby County, having looked a very capable young footballer in limited opportunities for Tottenham Hotspur.

White was a positive influence in Portsmouth’s 2020/21 League One promotion bid, despite the club missing out on the top six on the final day of the league season.

However, he does enter a competitive midfield contingent at Pride Park that contains some seasoned Championship campaigners.

It would appear that the Rams have settled on Korey Smith as the club’s first choice right back this season, but the presence of Max Bird, Conor Hourihane, Liam Thompson and Jason Knight could make regular league starts a challenge for the 21-year-old.

White has the ability to be effective at first team level, but gaining Paul Warne’s trust may be his most challenging task.