Exclusive interview
From Major League Soccer star to the Premier League, Leeds United’s Jack Harrison had a unique career path. The 25-year-old winger started his professional career with New York City FC before heading back to England, where the Englishman became an established star in one of the best leagues in the world. In an exclusive interview with Transfermarkt, Harrison speaks about his career path, his national team ambitions with England, the relegation battle, and the manager switch from Marcelo Bielsa to Jesse Marsch.
“I’m a risk-taker,” Harrison said to Transfermarkt about his unusual path to the Premier League. “I left Manchester United to attend school in the US, and I chose to join MLS instead of returning to England to start my pro career.”
In 2010, Harrison headed to Black Rock FC Academy and then, via Manhattan SC, ended up at Wake Forest University. The Chicago Fire then drafted the winger as the number one overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.
NYCFC tried to claim Harrison as a homegrown player before the draft, but Major League Soccer rejected that. The winger ended up in New York anyhow after the Citizens traded for his rights in exchange for the fourth overall pick and now retired Brandon Vincent and allocation money.
Harrison: “Time at NYCFC was crucial” – “Never forget” Pirlo & Co.
“My time at NYCFC was crucial to my development as a player,” Harrison said. “Being able to earn my first professional minutes and seeing how the likes of Andrea Pirlo, David Villa, and Frank Lampard train daily was pivotal and a unique experience I’ll never forget.”
Harrison, Scally, Ring & Co.: NYCFC record departures
Harrison scored 14 goals and ten assists in 61 games for NYCFC across all competitions and increased his market value to $1.93 million. In 2018, Harrison joined New York City’s parent club Manchester City in a record deal worth $4.4 million and then was quickly loaned to Middlesbrough, where he managed just four appearances (one assist).
Rather than returning to City, Harrison was loaned out again to Leeds United. A move that would turn out to be an excellent fit for both sides. The 25-year-old would become a star under Marcelo Bielsa, help the club reach the Premier League, and then help the Peacocks survive the first season. Harrison’s market value also catapulted to $16.5 million.
Harrison: “I couldn’t say no” to Leeds – “Learned “so much from” Bielsa
The winger quickly shrugged off any suggestion that joining Leeds was a risky endeavor. “I love a project, and when sporting director Victor Orta presented the opportunity to my agent Remington Ellis Management, I couldn’t say no,” Harrison said. “Working with Marcelo daily was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The wealth of knowledge and experience he has in football is unmatched and I can genuinely say every player in the squad learned so much from him and helped us understand the demands of being a footballer at a top club.”
Jack Harrison in action for Leeds United (©imago images)
Harrison scored six goals and eight assists in 46 Championship games in 2019/20, helping Leeds reach promotion to the Premier League at the end of the season. Harrison followed up that season with eight goals and eight assists in 36 Premier League games—enough to convince Leeds to make the transfer permanent for €12.8 million.
“I wouldn’t say I’m surprised by my development as I’ve always had confidence in myself as a person and a player, but I’m grateful that the hard work I’ve put in has started to pay dividends,” Harrison said when asked about his time at Leeds. “I had a tough initial adjustment to life in England but have since learned that the game extends beyond the four lines of the playing field. I need to be sharp in every facet of my game—physically, mentally, tactically, and technically.”
That development has not stopped for Harrison. On a personal level, Harrison is having another good season and had seven goals and one assist in 29 Premier League games by the time of writing. But Leeds have struggled and are embroiled in the relegation battle. In February, Leeds fired Bielsa and replaced him with the American Marsch.
Harrison: Bielsa’s departure “was hard” – “Go to battle” for Marsch
“It was hard,” Harrison said when asked about Bielsa being replaced by Marsch. “I had worked under Marcelo for over three years; he gave me the shirt over 150 times. I hope to reconnect with him soon, but we had to hit the ground running straight away under Jesse. It was important for me to show the new manager I was just as willing to go to battle for him, too.”
Overall, Harrison admitted that the season had been a challenge. “We’ve been decimated by injuries,” Harrison pointed out. “The season has been a challenging one for everyone in the club, but we’re still united and looking forward to finishing the campaign strongly.”
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There is a sense, however, that the club can still avoid the drop under Marsch. “His coaching experience and positivity among the group is crucial in helping us earn points for the rest of the season,” Harrison said. There is also a familiarity with Marsch as the two were in MLS together simultaneously, with Marsch coaching NYCFC’s rivals New York Red Bulls. “I’ve already learned so much from him, and luckily, I can score for him and not against him.”
On a personal level, Harrison feels good about his season and still has ambitions with the Three Lions. “I hope to reach ten Premier League goals,” Harrison said. “My goal is to be on the plane to Qatar, but of course, England has so many talented players in my position. I’ll just keep my head down and continue to work for Leeds and hope for the best.”
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