Newcastle United are reportedly plotting a £20 million swoop to sign Leeds United winger Jack Harrison this summer.
According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle United are ready to step up their pursuit of Jack Harrison and are willing to shell out £20 million for Leeds United’s versatile midfielder.
But the Newcastle bid is likely to face rejection from Leeds United, who have slapped a £30 million price tag on their prized asset. The Whites are looking to hold out for more than the proposed £20 million offer, having already lost Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.
The Magpies are in the market for a right winger and a striker, as Eddie Howe looks to add attacking reinforcements to his squad. However, as per the latest reports, they have now decided to ‘abandon’ their pursuits of top targets Alexander Isak and Moussa Diaby after being frustrated by high asking prices and wage demands.
This has forced Newcastle to look elsewhere, and Harrison has emerged as a lower-cost alternative. Howe, is said to be a huge admirer of the 25-year-old and appears to be a cheaper alternative than Diaby, who is valued at £60 million. Harrison’s versatility is one of the main reasons he is garnering interest from several clubs this summer, even though Leeds endured a disappointing season.
The 25-year-old, who can play on both sides of the pitch as well as in the middle as a central attacking midfielder, enjoyed another productive campaign in the Premier League last season, netting eight league goals for the second consecutive season in the English top flight.
In a rather dismal season for Leeds, Harrison stepped up to score on big occasions, with his final-day strike against Brentford helping to secure the Whites’ top-flight status. He has come leaps and bounds since arriving at Elland Road from Manchester City and is consistently improving season after season, boasting 25 goal contributions from 71 Premier League appearances for the Peacocks.
This upward trajectory has attracted Newcastle, who are prepared to test Leeds’s resolve to hang on to Harrison with a £20 million bid for the left winger. The 25-year-old remains contracted at Elland Road until 2024, meaning the West Yorkshire club will demand a sizable transfer fee to let their star go, with a figure of £30 million bandied about.
Harrison could prove to be a shrewd piece of business if signed for a reasonable fee. While he is not as prolific as Diaby, the Englishman can be viewed as an ideal short-term fix or stepping stone until Newcastle establish themselves as a top-half Premier League side and shoot for European places with major signings.
