Leeds United loanee Jack Harrison could be playing his way into a permanent stay at Everton. One pundit believes the 27-year-old is answering all his questions about being a player the Toffees can count on.
Harrison signed a contract extension several months before Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League in May 2023, which included a loan exit clause. In the summer of 2023, the forward left Elland Road to join Everton to continue top-flight football.
Because this clause was still active, Everton didn’t need to pursue a permanent deal for him last summer. However, if Leeds were to achieve promotion back to the Premier League next season, Dyche’s team would have to buy Harrison outright to keep him.
During his time at Everton, Harrison has made 44 appearances over the past two seasons, scoring four goals and providing three assists. In contrast, with Leeds, he played a total of 206 matches, netting 34 goals and recording 32 assists.
This past summer, Harrison noted that he’s happy to return to Goodison Park for a second loan stint.
“It’s brilliant to be back,” Harrison told Everton’s official website. “Everton is a great club, there is a fantastic group of lads here and I’m excited to get started again with a full pre-season of training. Last year, I had a lot of enjoyment at the Club. We had to face a lot of adversity but we were able to continue on and have a good season overall.”
Could Jack Harrison be playing his way into a long-term stint at Everton?
Everton appears to be in another relegation fight this 2024-25 season. As a result, every player’s performance each matchday will be under the microscope. Any mistake they make could cost the Toffees points, which could come back to haunt them later in the season.
In his column last Monday, Liverpool Echo’s Michael Ball highlighted what he’s liked from Harrison including how he’s responded coming off the bench, highlighting Everton’s win against Crystal Palace on September 28.
“Last week I mentioned how if you’re a substitute, you’ve got to react and show your quality when you get your chance and Jack Harrison answered all my concerns when he came on,” Ball wrote in his column.
“He showed enthusiasm, but more importantly he didn’t complicate matters, putting a wonderful ball in for Dwight McNeil, and caused Crystal Palace problems by nice and fast, decisive, play.”
