Leeds United winger Jack Harrison likely to stay despite paltry Newcastle bid
Leeds United winger Jack Harrison is likely to stay at the club this summer amid an approach from Newcastle, according to TEAMtalk’s James Marshment.
Eddie Howe likes the 25-year-old and Football Insider reported on Wednesday (20 July) that the Magpies had submitted a bid of £18million for him.
That offer is way below the club’s valuation, thought to be as much as £36million [Telegraph], and will not be successful, as Marshment wrote on Twitter: “Jack Harrison future likely to remain with Leeds, amid insulting opening offer from Newcastle.
“Jesse Marsch adamant the player remains happy – and TEAMtalk understands the Whites are taking a tough stance over his future.”
In the accompanying story on the website he added: “TEAMtalk understands that Leeds United will quickly rebuff Newcastle’s approach, deeming it way below their valuation.
“The Whites are not in a hurry to cash in on Harrison either and it would take a far higher bid for them to even consider his sale. But with Raphinha and Phillips having departed, Leeds do not need to cash in either.”
The player had fuelled speculation over a move when he responded to a question during the preseason in Australia with just “we’ll see what happens” [via Yorkshire Evening Post], which Jesse Marsch attempted to quell by telling the BBC it had been “unintentional”.
No need
Offering a team who aren’t looking to sell an important player half of what they value him at is frankly a waste of everyone’s time.
If Newcastle were serious about testing United’s resolve they would have followed up the interest that has been widely reported for some time with a meaningful offer.
That they haven’t done that would appear to take them off the table as a genuine threat, whether Harrison would be interested in a move or not.
Unintentional or not, he plainly didn’t do anything to dispel rumours so it would not be a shock if he was at least open to the idea, although surely nowhere near enough to push for it.
The Saudi takeover has apparently not yet yielded the sponsorship income that was expected at St. James’ Park [Telegraph], making it harder for them to spend as much money as they would like.
It therefore seems very unlikely that they are going to come up with an offer sizeable enough to get the Whites’ attention.
Barring an unexpected turn of events Harrison is surely going to be a park of Marsch’s squad for the new season.
In other Leeds United news, one summer transfer target has admitted he loves the club’s American boss.