Leeds United lose Jack Harrison to Everton loan with permanent move on cards, more exits ‘likely’ – David Ornstein
Jack Harrison has completed his loan exit from Leeds United to Everton with a permanent move still on the cards, according to David Ornstein.
The Athletic journalist reported just after midnight on Monday night (14 August) that the deal had been done following late interest from Aston Villa, and that it was a season-long loan but the Toffees are “likely to push to make the move permanent in due course”.
Harrison joins a list that already comprises of Robin Koch, Brenden Aaronson, Max Wober, Marc Roca who have made loan exits following relegation from the Premier League and more a considered “likely to follow” them out.
Ornstein names key men Willy Gnonto, Luis Sinisterra and Tyler Adams as linked with exits, although not necessarily on loan.
Sinking ship
It seems like every day brings a new first-team player heading for the exit and Harrison’s departure suddenly sprung to life amid extensive developments with the aforementioned trio in recent days.
The late drama on Sunday that saw Aston Villa in for a hijack and the back out again, apparently on the grounds of the injury that is currently keeping him out, largely happened independently from Leeds United with the club powerless to prevent his exit.
With Harrison only signing a new contract in April after coming within hours of completing a £20million move to Leicester at the end of the January window, the loan-exit clause in his deal might be the most maddening of them all.
It is not uncommon for players to insist on certain contingencies to agree to sign for a club in the first place, so the fact that the majority of the high-profile signings from a year ago have already gone is a depressing situation but not a total shock, even if loans rather than sales are helping undercut Daniel Farke’s incoming business.
But with Leeds United already hurtling towards relegation when Harrison signed the new five-year terms, which it now looks virtually impossible that he sees out, the inclusion of a clause allowing him to leave on loan amounts to waving the white flag.
The wisdom of the move may all become clear in a year’s time if the 26-year-old stars this season at Goodison Park and is then signed by the Toffees or another Premier League side for massive money.
But right now it is leaving Farke with the bare bones of a squad he is struggling to replenish, with Gnonto and Sinisterra unavailable as they apparently push to leave as well and Adams only still in the ranks, for now, after Chelsea withdrew from a deal at the last second.
In other Leeds United news, the bus was already about to leave for Birmingham when a last-minute withdrawal was dropped on the manager.