‘In Leeds’ favour’ – Phil Hay claims Whites should complete big eight-figure transfer next year
Leeds United surprised a lot of people when they signed Jack Harrison on another season-long loan rather than a permanent deal in the summer.
However, Harrison should become a permanent Leeds player at the end of the season, according to Athletic journalist Phil Hay.
Hay has claimed that Leeds will pay Man City £10m “or thereabouts” to complete the deal and said that the option in the contract is “in Leeds’ favour”.
Hay was responding to a Leeds fans who said, “Can you please confirm that Manchester City DO NOT have a clause to keep Harrison at the end of the season? We get first preference to sign him at £8m, yes? Surely his value has almost doubled/tripled over six games already?”
Harrison is a steal
If Harrison was on the open market now then he would cost a lot more than £10m.
Said Benrahma signed for West Ham for £21m in the summer and Harrison is now proving that he can deliver in the Premier League. Benrahma, despite his excellent Championship record, still has to prove that at West Ham.
Harrison has enjoyed two standout performances so far, in the first game of the season against Liverpool – when he scored a brilliant goal – and in the 1-0 win against Sheffield United.
He got 7.61 and 7.87 ratings respectively from WhoScored in these two games.
He’s a hugely important player for Bielsa, having started all six Premier League game this season and all but one Championship game last season. The only one he didn’t start was the “hangover” game against Derby when the title was won and he still came on for a cameo appearance then.
The latest loan deal for Harrison has kicked his deal down the road but the good news from Hay is confirmation that Leeds do have the option to make his transfer permanent.
The only way that we could see this deal not happening at that price point is if Leeds got relegated – and that’s not looking likely at the moment.
In other Leeds United news, ‘Let me get this right’ – Simon Jordan responds to Leeds fan as talkSPORT Twitter spat erupts