Newcastle United are interested in signing Jack Harrison, with manager Eddie Howe a big admirer of the Leeds United winger.
Jack Harrison, 25, joined Leeds United on loan from Manchester City in 2018 before eventually joining on a permanent transfer last summer. He has made 165 appearances for the Whites, scoring 28 goals. The English winger played a crucial role in helping Jesse Marsch’s side avoid relegation last season with eight goals and an assist in 35 appearances.
The 25-year-old is highly regarded by Leeds United and will not easily sell. They reportedly want more than £35million to sanction Harrison’s sale this summer amid continuing their own discussions to sign a new forward.
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe ‘admires’ Harrison’s work-rate and wants to add him to his squad. The Magpies have so far signed Sven Botman and Nick Pope from Lille and Burnley respectively, while Matt Targett has joined permanently from Aston Villa.
Newcastle will aim for a top-half finish
After a solid second half of the season that helped Newcastle finish 11th on the table, Eddie Howe and co. will have bigger aspirations for the upcoming campaign. Having now spent a considerable amount of time with the squad, Howe can therefore analyse what remains a work in progress. However, with a couple of new additions, he’ll feel the club has ticked some boxes.
To compete for a top-half finish, the Magpies will need to further strengthen the key areas of their squad before the transfer window slams shut. Having managed only 44 goals in 38 games last term, it is not surprising to see Howe wanting attacking reinforcements that can improve the team’s productivity in the final third.
Is Jack Harrison the right fit for Newcastle?
Newcastle will feel hugely disappointed that their long-protracted efforts over Hugo Ekitike bore no fruit, as the young striker left Reims to join Paris Saint-Germain on loan with an option to move permanently last week. Considering how the Ekitike saga ended, Howe will want the club to get his targets as quickly as possible.
One of those is Jack Harrison, a speedy wide player who is comfortable playing on both flanks. The former England Under-21 international has performed really well in the last two Premier League seasons, impressing with his pace, trickery, crossing technique and goal-scoring ability.
The Toon Army could offer him a wide role on the left but on a rotational basis. Harrison could also be the perfect competition for Allan Saint-Maximin, whose fitness remains a concern for Howe. With one signing, Newcastle can seemingly solve two problems, as the 25-year-old is also capable of operating as a left wing-back.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not Newcastle match Leeds’ high valuation for Harrison.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
