Haydon Roberts has been challenged to take the next step – and break into the Albion team.

The Seagulls have knocked back interest from Leeds United in their teenage defender.

He is likely to be in the squad which takes on Preston tonight (7pm) in the third round of the Carabao Cup – the stage at which he scored on his debut versus Aston Villa last season.

Leeds’ attention returned to the array of central defenders at Albion after their third bid to sign Ben White proved unsuccessful.

But The Argus has been told the club have no intention to sell him or let him out on loan.

Graham Potter says Roberts is quietly ambitious to fulfil his declared target of following – or joining – his fellow Brighton boy Lewis Dunk in the Albion team.

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Head coach Potter said of the 18-year-old: “He’s quite a quiet guy. He believes in himself a lot. He’s self-confident but knows he has still got some work to do in terms of how he is developing.

“That’s just normal because of his age but he’s ambitious, he’s confident and he wants to play.

“He has trained with us for a long time now and I’m looking forward to helping him take the next step, which is to be on the pitch for us and play games.

“It’s obviously not so easy. We have got some good competition in that position.

“He’s a young player we believe in.”

Roberts will be compared to dunk as a local boy making the grade with the Seagulls.

Dunk spoke to the former Hove Park schoolboy before his debut against Villa.

Potter said: “I think they are completely different characters.

“I hope both of them aren’t offended by that!

“He’s young and I’m sure when Dunky was that age he will probably say there were some things he could do better on the pitch.

“That’s the learning process we’ve got to help him do, to help Haydon get to that next level.”