Jesse Marsch has commented on the future of Jack Harrison after the player himself was quizzed on the matter following Leeds United's 1-0 friendly defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday morning. There has been interest in the Whites winger since the end of last season with Newcastle United being most heavily linked.
In the aftermath of the defeat Down Under, Harrison was asked whether he would be staying put this summer amid the ongoing interest. Seemingly caught off-guard by the question, he replied: “We’ll see, we’ll see what happens,” with a number of fans picking up on the reply.
Having already seen Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha leave Elland Road this summer, Leeds fans will not want to see the further departures of any other key players. Harrison might not yet be of the same pedigree as his two former teammates but he is still one of the most reliable players at the club.
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Should he leave, it would give Jesse Marsch and his team another headache of trying to replace him as the Premier League season comes rapidly into view. Although, the Leeds boss stressed that the 25-year-old is at the heart of any long-term plans in West Yorkshire.
“There’s always been interest in Jack, like many of our players,” he said after the Aston Villa defeat. “But I know that Jack is also very happy here and that he’s done a really good job, that he’s a big part of what we’re doing.
“Of course there’s always possibilities that big transfer offers come in and clubs then have to decide how it fits and what are the best options moving forward. But, for me, Jack Harrison is a big part of our plans moving forward and we’re counting on him this season, for sure.”
If Newcastle make their interest known with a formal bid for Harrison, there is an expectation that Leeds will demand more than £35m for his signature. Money is hardly an issue for the Magpies nowadays but Eddie Howe is still understood to be keen to add another striker and possibly a midfielder to his squad before the start of the season.
That may force a move for Harrison further down their list of priorities, especially if they are unwilling to meet the asking price set by the Whites.
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