Jack Harrison made 55 league appearances for New York City between 2016 and 2017, scoring 14 goals during his time at the Yankee Stadium. In his first year with the franchise, he was rated the second-best player under the age of 24 in the MLS. Needless to say, when Manchester City signed him in 2018, Pigeons fans were heartbroken. But there is a glimmer of hope that he could choose to return there one day as an end to his footballing journey.
Harrison Deal Could be a Steal for Leeds
Despite having signed for the Citizens in 2018, Harrison hasn’t actually played any football for Pep Guardiola’s side. He was initially sent out on loan to Middlesbrough, but failed to break into the side and only made 4 appearances. The next season, he was signed by Leeds United. He quickly became a regular starter under Marcelo Bielsa and was a pivotal cog in the promotion campaign of 2019-20.
Harrison is now in his third season on loan at Elland Road, and he has bought into Bielsa’s incredible attacking philosophy. There is no doubt that the 24-year-old is growing under the tutelage of the Argentine, and it is highly likely that Leeds will trigger the option to buy the player at the end of the current campaign. Reports suggest that his price would be around £10 million, which would be an absolute bargain for such a talented winger.
Leeds Favoured to Stay Up
Leeds have enjoyed one of the best starts to a season for a newly promoted team in Premier League history, and Harrison has been at the forefront of that. The other promoted Championship teams from last term, West Brom and Fulham, are among the favourites to be relegated at the end of the season. But Leeds can be backed for the drop at 33/1 in the football betting from Space Casino. Those odds are telling, as they highlight the disparities between these sides, and emphasise what an incredible job Harrison and his teammates are doing.
How Big Could he Become?
There is no doubt that Harrison has the potential to become a Premier League legend. He is being guided by one of the greatest managers in the business and is a key component of one of England’s most exciting teams. At the moment, Harrison may not be considered in contention for a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad. But he could be knocking on the door in the years to come if he can continue to improve at such a rapid rate.
With a lot of footballers choosing to move to MLS as a way to end their careers, it could be a fairy tale story if Harrison decides to do the same one day. Perhaps to show his appreciation to the team where it all started, a fully formed Harrison will one day make a glorious return to the Yankee Stadium. This is a dream that will be shared by a vast number of New York City fans.