Jack Harrison is still a Leeds United player following the January transfer window, despite intense speculation linking the winger with a move to Leicester City.
Leeds have watched Harrison develop at Elland Road since 2018, when he initially joined the club on loan from Manchester City.
The 26-year-old has played 186 games for the club, scoring 30 goals and registering 29 assists.
However, on transfer deadline day, a Leeds exit looked likely, with The Athletic detailing how Harrison was in Leicester and began a medical, before Leeds pulled the plug on a deal.
Harrison has 18 months remaining on his contract at Elland Road and there’s a lot of debate around what’s unfolded this week with the winger.
After a scare and a real possibility of Leeds selling to Leicester, we explore ONE winner and ONE loser at Elland Road following that January decision:
Winner: Victor Orta
LEEDS, ENGLAND – MAY 23: Victor Orta, Director of football at Leeds United walks onto the pitch following the Premier League match between Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion at Elland Road on May 23, 2021 in Leeds, England. A limited number of fans will be allowed into Premier League stadiums as Coronavirus restrictions begin to ease in the UK. (Photo by Lynne Cameron – Pool/Getty Images)
Harrison has been one of Orta’s success stories during his time at Leeds. After three consecutive season-long loans, a fee of only £11m was paid for Harrison; a real snip when you consider his return for goals, assists and general impact.
The Athletic details how Orta advised Leeds to retain Harrison as they weighed up a late January sale, with the club eventually taking the Director of Football’s advice on board.
New contract talks will now be held.
Additionally, it would’ve been down to Orta to do some last minute scouting and shifting his phone into overdrive to search the market for a replacement.
That’s his job, of course, but a last minute market isn’t the environment the Spaniard likes to work in.
Should Leeds sell Harrison?
Yes
No
Loser: Leeds United
Leeds have retained Harrison and that’s a good thing for Jesse Marsch in the immediate months as he looks to keep the club in the Premier League.
However, there’s little denying that Leeds as a club haven’t come out of this saga looking particularly good.
They have messed Harrison around to the point where he headed to Leicester to begin a medical, with the mind of Leeds wanting to cash-in, only for the club to perform a late u-turn and retain him.
That type of action doesn’t exactly bode well for the aforementioned contract discussions, where Leeds are going to have to convince the winger that Elland Road is the right place for him long-term.
There’s now massive pressure on Leeds to strike that agreement with Harrison to avoid a situation in the summer where he’s got 12 months left on his deal and is open to lowball offers well below his valuation.
Leeds have worked themselves into tough negotiations with the clock against them.