Big Harrison upgrade: Leeds have explored deal for "underrated" £26m star
Leeds United supporters will have noticed that a familiar name has been reintroduced to the team in the current set of pre-season matches, as Jack Harrison has returned from his two-year loan spell with Everton.
The English forward has been involved in Daniel Farke’s plans this summer and it remains to be seen if that will still be the case when the Premier League campaign gets underway.
Farke told BBC Sport: “Jack has many Premier League appearances and we would be stupid if we didn’t want to use that. It is a bit tricky if you have a couple of years away but that was a decision before my time.
“Right now he is back with us. He is a great guy, a hard worker and very reliable. It is up to him to win the confidence and trust back. I had this situation when I arrived with Junior Firpo, and people saying he was the worst signing ever and he couldn’t defend. Now he has left as a hero.”
Minutes
45
Shots
0
Chances created
0
Big chances created
0
Dribbles completed
0/1
Duels won
0/1
Dribbled past
1x
The statistics in the table above show that Harrison did not make much of a positive impression upon the Leeds supporters in his first outing in pre-season against Manchester United last weekend.
Why Jack Harrison should not be a starter for Leeds
Harrison’s lack of impact at the top end of the pitch against the Red Devils sums up how the last couple of years have gone for him in the Premier League, as he has consistently struggled to deliver on a regular basis.
The 28-year-old flop, who was met by a few boos last weekend, spent the last two seasons on loan with Everton in the top-flight, but did not do enough for them to want to sign him on a permanent basis this summer.
A return of five goals and three assists in 74 matches in all competitions for the Toffees may explain why David Moyes was not eager to bring him back for another year.
xG
3.52
Top 43%
Goals
1
Bottom 17%
xG on target
1.07
Bottom 24%
Shots on target
7
Bottom 33%
Assists
0
Bottom 3%
Dribble success rate
35%
Bottom 19%
Dispossessed
41 times
Bottom 15%
As you can see in the table above, the English winger offered very little in front of goal for Everton in comparison to his positional peers in the Premier League, with one goal and zero assists before his return to West Yorkshire this summer.
This is why Farke should not be considering Harrison as a potential starter in the top-flight for Leeds next season, and he may not have to amid interest from the club in a new winger.
Leeds have explored deal for Ligue 1 star
According to The Athletic, Leeds United have an interest in RC Strasbourg’s left-sided attacker Dilane Bakwa, as they eye up new additions to their frontline.
The report claims that the Whites have explored the possibility of a swoop to sign the 22-year-old forward during the current summer transfer window.
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However, it adds that they are not actively pursuing a deal for him at this moment in time. Instead, he remains one of a number of options they have looked at before they decide who to seriously target.
Just before the start of the summer transfer window, it was reported that Chelsea were showing an interest in the French whiz, who is valued at £26m by the Ligue 1 side.
It now remains to be seen whether the Championship champions will actualise their interest with an official approach for the winger before the end of the summer, but Farke would have an upgrade on Harrison on his hands if they do.
Why Leeds should sign Dilane Bakwa
The Whites should swoop to sign the Strasbourg star in the coming weeks because he has the potential to be a terrific addition to the squad as a big upgrade on Harrison on the flanks.
As aforementioned, the English dud has only scored five goals and provided three assists in 74 appearances in the last two seasons combined. Meanwhile, Bakwa scored 11 goals and provided 16 assists in 66 matches across all competitions for Strasbourg, which immediately suggests that he will offer far more in the final third.
The French whiz, who is also a left-footed winger like Harrison, has performed well in one of Europe’s major leagues in France, which suggests that the potential is there for him to be a strong signing for Leeds.
Of course, there are no guarantees in football, and it remains to be seen if he can translate his form over to English football, but if Bakwa’s form from the 2024/25 campaign is anything to go off, the £26m-rated star would be a huge upgrade for the Whites.
Appearances
30
34
xG
4.36
3.52
Goals
6
1
Big chances created
12
6
Assists
8
0
Dribbles completed per game
1.7
0.7
Dribble success rate
44%
36%
As you can see in the table above, the Ligue 1 starlet significantly outperformed Harrison as a scorer, a creator, and a dribbler, whilst playing four fewer matches.
Bakwa, who was described as “underrated” by U23 talent scout Antonio Mango, could provide a greater goal threat and create more high-quality chances for his teammates than the ex-Manchester City winger could do for Farke in the Premier League next term.
This is why Leeds should be pushing to sign the Strasbourg magician this summer, after already exploring a possible deal, because he could arrive as a big upgrade for the club in the right-wing position ahead of next season.
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