Leeds United’s £27.5m transfer howler laid bare amid latest Jack Harrison developments
Jack Harrison’s exit was officially announced on Monday, and it brought back memories of what could have been for Leeds.
January has perhaps not been as busy as many Leeds fans will have hoped, with just one new arrival at Elland Road – Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton.
However, the Whites have been fairly busy securing exits for players, with Harry Gray having joined Rotherham United on loan, and Harrison formalising his move to Fiorentina.
The latter was announced on Monday, and it exposed the harsh reality of what could have been for Leeds United.
How much could Leeds United make from Jack Harrison exit?
Harrison’s move to Fiorentina is a loan deal initially, with Leeds paying part of his wages, though an official number has not been mentioned.
As part of the move, Fiorentina have agreed a buy-option of £6million, which may be triggered if he is able to prove his worth in Serie A.
Straight away, that would represent a loss for Leeds, having paid £11m to sign the Englishman from Man City back in 2021.
To make matters even worse, according to the Sun, the Whites were said to have rejected a £33.5m bid for Harrison back in 2022, with Newcastle United interested.
Leeds upped their asking price to £40m, to which the North East outfit declined, leaving Harrison to stay at Elland Road, and ultimately start his own decline.
If Fiorentina go through with their permanent purchase of Harrison, it will be £27.5m lost out on for Leeds, in one hell of a transfer blow.
Are Leeds going to replace Harrison?
One of the reasons behind Harrison’s failure to impress at Elland Road is that Farke has opted to switch to a back five.
That system relies on two strikers and utilises wing-backs as opposed to wingers, which is certainly not Harrison’s forte.
His exit leaves them with three natural wingers in Noah Okafor, Dan James and Willy Gnonto, two of whom have largely been bit-part players this season.
Leeds had been linked with Noa Lang before he edged closer to a move to Galatasaray, perhaps showcasing that there is some intention to replace Harrison.
However, it’s unlikely to be a priority for the Whites in the final weeks of the January transfer window.
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