Why Leeds United should complete a permanent deal for Jack Harrison

According to The Athletic (h/t Leeds Live), Leeds United could complete a permanent deal for Man City loanee Jack Harrison next summer. The former England U-21 winger is currently into his third season on loan at Elland Road and the report claims that the Whites are hoping to negotiate a deal for around £10million with the Cityzens. 

Profile

Jack Harrison started his footballing education at Liverpool and spent seven years in the youth ranks of Man United before moving to the United States to complete his development at Manhatten SC.

He began his professional career with New York City in the Major League Soccer and went on to register 14 goals and 10 assists in 61 appearances before returning to England with Manchester City in January 2018.

The 23-year-old was loaned out to Championship outfit Middlesbrough, where he made just 4 league appearances during the latter half of the 2017-18 campaign. Harrison joined Leeds United on loan and quickly established himself as a key player under Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road. 

Despite managing meagre returns of 4 goals and 3 assists in 39 appearances in the 2018-19 season, Leeds brought him back on a second successive loan spell last summer. Harrison showed significant improvement in the previous campaign and racked up an impressive 6 goals and 8 assists in 46 outings as the Whites won the Championship title to secure a return to the top-flight for the first time in 16 years.

Harrison remains a key player for Leeds

Having featured prominently as one of the cornerstones of Leeds United’s triumphant campaign in the Championship last season, Jack Harrison seems to have made a smooth transition to life in the Premier League. The former England youth international has contributed massively to the club’s impressive start in the top-flight this term, registering a goal and 2 assists in 7 appearances so far. 

Indeed, it might be too early to pass a definitive judgement on his Premier League credentials, but Harrison has the potential and the requisite qualities to thrive in the top-flight. The 23-year-old has continued to feature as an undisputed starter on the left flank this term, which clearly epitomises Bielsa’s unwavering faith in the Man City loanee.

Harrison has not only improved in terms of his end product but has also developed other attributes of his game as well. A comparison of his heat maps from 2018-19, 19-20, and 2020-21 seasons clearly reveal that Harrison’s work rate at both ends of the pitch has improved significantly in recent years. That more than justifies his status as one of the mainstays of Bielsa’s starting XI. 

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Verdict

Harrison’s overall tally of 11 goals and 14 assists in 97 appearances for Leeds United in all competitions might not be eye-watering by any means. But his overall contribution to the club has been quite significant over the past couple of season. With the youngster already starting to show strong signs of promise in the Premier League, the Whites should definitely consider securing his services on a permanent basis.

The 23-year-old is only going to get better with time and Leeds securing his long-term future will surely be a shrewd piece of business.