Leeds’ £25m flop leads to new Jack Harrison

Leeds United’s Premier League future depends on the next seven games, with the end of the season rapidly approaching.

The Whites currently sit four points out of the relegation zone and a final-day showdown with West Ham United could have a big impact on their hopes of staying in.

Manager Daniel Farke has proven many doubters wrong in recent months, leading the club to just four defeats in 19 games.

However, the German’s future role could depend on what happens by the end of May, with survival undoubtedly remaining his main goal at the moment.

He has built a squad in recent months, bringing in a number of players who don’t quite fit into Elland Road’s current back three system.

Jack Harrison’s bid to return to Leeds in 2025/26 has failed

Winger Jack Harrison, who was promoted to the Premier League last season, has returned to the first team after spending two years on loan at Everton.

The decision proved unpopular with the fan base at the time, and the 29-year-old was booed by supporters upon his return in pre-season.

Many felt the Englishman had jumped ship after being relegated to the Championship, but manager Farke was determined to give the attacker a second chance at Elland Road.

However, his return to Yorkshire was far from smooth sailing, with him making just 11 appearances by January, only one of which was a start.

Harrison’s biggest contribution was conceding a foul on Omari Hutchinson and a penalty in the defeat to Nottingham Forest in December, a pretty awful feat to say the least.

The attacker’s return has been nothing short of a disaster, and the manager is already losing patience with him, as evidenced by his winter loan move to Fiorentina.

Leeds player on track to become the next Jack Harrison

Leeds have been a force in the Premier League overall this season and their home form at Elland Road gives them a fighting chance of survival.

The German player’s decision to switch to a back three certainly played a big role and also allowed many players to reach the next level of their career.

Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has endured purpura in front of goal in recent months, scoring six goals in six games and earning a call-up to the England squad.

Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon have also established themselves in the starting eleven and currently look irreplaceable under Farke.

However, the same cannot be said for attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson. He has struggled mightily in recent months despite the faith shown in him by his manager.

The American international has made 30 appearances for Los Blancos so far this term, scoring a total of seven goals and providing an assist.

Despite putting up impressive numbers, the 25-year-old has struggled to gain traction in recent weeks for all the right reasons, leading to questions about his starting role.

Aaronson hasn’t scored or assisted in the last 12 games in all competitions, which is undoubtedly the reason the team has gone scoreless in four games.

In his last four Premier League games, he has only created two chances and not had a single shot on target. This further highlights his struggles in attacking areas.

Comparisons could certainly be made to Harrison, as the attacking midfielder currently struggles to feed the ball within the final third of the pitch.

Another similarity between the two was that each had spent loan spells away from Yorkshire before returning to Elland Road, but neither was able to fully win back supporters.

The £25m fee paid to sign him in the summer of 2022 appears to be a huge waste of money for the American, who currently ranks as the club’s second most expensive addition.

Given his struggles in the Premier League, the bosses will be lucky to have a portion of the transfer fee refunded on his contract, especially if they are looking to sell him this summer.

Harrison and Aaronson are two players who are desperately wanted off the board, but ultimately neither are at the level needed to be successful in the Premier League.