The talented forward may be sold by the Whites at the end of the season.
Leeds United experienced significant changes in the summer of 2022/23 after being relegated from the Premier League and returning to the Championship.
49ers Enterprises formally took over the club from Andrea Radrizzani, who had been the principal owner since 2017, in July of last year.
They took over during a difficult period in which they had to navigate the transition back to second division football, and they appear to have done an excellent job.
Daniel Farke, a German head coach, was brought in and now has Leeds in second place in the Championship, putting the team on track for promotion back to the top flight.
The 49ers also had to deal with the departure of several first-team players, including Tyler Adams and Rodrigo, who were sold on permanent contracts, and Jack Harrison, Robin Koch, Max Wober, Rasmus Kristensen, and Marc Roca, among others, who were loaned out.
Jack Harrison’s future at Leeds
It remains to be seen whether any of the players loaned out at the start of the season will have a future at Elland Road beyond the summer.
However, Football Insider has reported that Harrison wants to make a permanent move away from Yorkshire at the conclusion of the season, having settled in successfully with Everton in the Premier League.
Last year, the Toffees came in to get him on loan with no option to buy, thus Sean Dyche’s side does not have a permanent contract with the Whites.
It has been suggested that the English winger wishes to continue in the Premier League for the 2024/25 season and beyond, but does not wish to do so with Leeds, even if Farke’s side is promoted from the Championship.
Football Insider, however, added that Everton’s impending acquisition by 777 Partners may have an impact on how much the Toffees are willing to spend for Harrison.
With no option to buy in the loan deal, Leeds can go elsewhere and offer the former Manchester City prospect to interested parties if they provide more money than the Merseyside club.
His market value has skyrocketed in recent years, and the 49ers might strike gold by cashing in on him this summer, especially considering how much the club originally paid to get him.
How much did Leeds pay for Jack Harrison
In the summer of 2021, the Whites paid £11 million to buy Harrison from Premier League giants Manchester City, for whom he made no appearances.
That move occurred after the excellent winger spent three years on loan at Elland Road, two of them in the Championship under Marcelo Bielsa.
He had an unsuccessful debut season with the second-tier team, scoring four goals and assisting three times in 37 league games.
Harrison rebounded with six goals and eight assists in 46 games as Leeds won the title under Bielsa and advanced to the Premier League.
The brilliant genius then had an immediate impact in the top division, scoring eight goals and assisting eight times in 36 appearances during the 2020/21 season.
| 20/21 Premier League | Jack Harrison |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 36 |
| Goals | Eight |
| Big chances missed | Six |
| Assists | Eight |
| Big chances created | Ten |
| Stats via Sofascore | |
As shown in the table above, the Leeds star was effective in front of goal, with more strikes than ‘big chances’ wasted, and he may have been unhappy with his teammates for failing to take advantage of the opportunities he provided.
His form was excellent enough to persuade the Whites to spend £11 million on him, and it has proven to be a brilliant move for the club, as his worth has risen in recent years.
Harrison was a regular starter for the Yorkshire club during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons after his loan was made permanent.
He scored eight goals, one assist, and three ‘big opportunities’ in 32 starts in his first season, followed by five goals, seven assists, and nine ‘big chances’ produced in 34 starts the next season.
However, his attacking efforts were insufficient to keep Leeds in the Premier League, and the club was relegated last summer, prompting his move to Everton.
Jack Harrison’s current market value.
At the time of writing (29/02/2024), FootballTransfers estimates his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at €34 million, which equates to approximately £29 million.
This means that his value has increased by 164% since Leeds paid Manchester City £11 million to gain his services nearly three years ago.
His growing market worth means that Leeds could strike gold this summer by selling him for a sizable profit on his £11 million cost, whether to Everton or another team.
According to the aforementioned Football Insider source, Harrison wishes to leave the Whites permanently and remain in the Premier League, implying that a transfer at the end of the season is possible. However, it remains to be seen how much a team is willing to spend for him.
He has had a solid season with the Toffees so far, providing a decent threat at the top end of the pitch for Dyche since his arrival to Merseyside.
The 27-year-old winger, who was dubbed “relentless” by journalist Joe Thomas earlier this season, has three goals, three assists, and five ‘huge chances’ produced in 19 Premier League appearances.
Harrison is currently in the top 20% of Premier League midfielders for non-penalty goals (0.17) and the top 21% for assists (0.17) per 90 minutes.
This demonstrates that he has been above average as a scorer and creator of goals from midfield for the Toffees this season.
The 49ers might possibly strike gold with Harrison’s current market worth in the summer if they can secure a large fee from Everton or another team for the excellent speedster, who has established himself to be a consistent player in the Premier League.
