Jack Harrison entered the field amidst a storm of emotions. As the Stockholm announcer called his name, the returning winger, once part of the legendary 2020 promotion team, was greeted by a chorus of boos from the Leeds fans who had traveled.

On the same day that Daniel Farke announced Patrick Bamford was not in his Premier League plans, the Leeds manager emphasized that Harrison had a chance to redeem himself in the eyes of the fans, citing examples of teammates like Brenden Aaronson and Wilfried Gnonto who had previously been rumored to leave.

This was the first public sign that something which had seemed unlikely at the start of the summer was now possible: Harrison staying at Leeds to play a significant role in their fight for survival.

This comes after a period where he was criticized for seemingly abandoning Leeds during tough times in the summer of 2023. He had activated a clause in his contract to leave on loan to Everton after Leeds’ relegation, despite having signed a five-year contract and expressing his commitment to making history with the club months earlier.

History, of a kind, has certainly been made – but now Harrison is looking to rewrite it. 

‘Jack needs to prove himself to win everyone over – to demonstrate commitment, desire, and courage, and this is the ideal way,’ remarked Farke. ‘He has shown himself to be a top character within our group, and he has all the opportunities to regain our supporters’ trust.

‘You could sense he’s already won some back; after the initial boos, there were cheers. Jack has the chance to show he can play a vital role for us in the upcoming season.’

And here we are. It’s a week until Leeds host Everton in their opening game and Harrison is still a part of their Premier League plans – but why, and how did he fight his way back to this point?

The first answer is that, whatever else has happened in the last two years, he is a proven option, in a position where Leeds are lacking depth. Although Harrison is unlikely to make the starting line-up to begin the season, with Dan James ahead of him on the right and Gnonto on the left, any promoted side will tell you quantity and quality are needed to survive. Largie Ramazani and Aaronson are other wide options, but will not be enough.

Leeds are still pushing in the market, particularly for a left winger. They went hard for Brazilian forward Paixao, and thought they had him, but then they were let down and he ended up at Marseille.

Leicester’s Bilal El Khannouss, Liverpool youngster Ben Doak and Strasbourg’s Dilane Bakwa are all on their list, but Leeds have yet to submit a formal bid for any of them. Nottingham Forest are also in for Bakwa and have had a bid rejected, whereas Newcastle are in for El Khannouss, so Leeds will need to get their skates on. Farke, however, is very particular about signings and would rather wait for the right name than rush someone in before the season begins.

Crucially, Harrison has what most of the Leeds squad lacks in terms of Premier League experience. Only 12 Premier League outfield players have more appearances than Harrison’s 170 across the last five seasons.

During his time with Leeds in the Premier League from 2020 to 2023, he was consistently up there when it came to statistics such as chances created, passes played into the box, dribbles and possession won in the final third. He scored at Anfield on the opening day of their first season back in the top flight, and netted a stoppage-time winner at Brentford on the final day in 2022 as Leeds secured survival.

Those numbers dwindled on Merseyside – albeit in a different role – but at Everton, Sean Dyche admired him for his pressing and hard work. Though the lack of end product proved pivotal with just five goals and four assists across two seasons.

For all the animosity between him and sections of the fanbase, Harrison is a popular member at Thorp Arch where he is known for his exemplary attitude and professionalism.

He credits Marcelo Bielsa with instilling that work ethic. ‘Working with him made me the player I am today,’ he said in 2023. ‘Even on a day off, I’ll have in the back of my mind that I need to do something.’

Before returning to Leeds for pre-season, Harrison spent time in Miami working on his fitness. Many recall him putting everything on the line in his last months at the club in 2023, when he played through a hip injury to try to keep Leeds up.

‘I had to get nails in over the summer to fix it but I wanted to push myself to the limit to help Leeds. Whatever the fans say, I have no regrets,’ Harrison revealed later.

Moving to Everton was a case of a player wanting to play in the top flight even if it upset a fanbase that accused him of desertion. Yet perhaps the fundamental question is what happens once Leeds bring in more attacking signings, as expected. And if an offer comes in, does Harrison want to stay?

Leeds haven’t highlighted his return across social media. Harrison has chosen the number 38 shirt because three plus eight adds up to 11, which was his former Leeds number but now belongs to Aaronson.

He took part in Leeds’s Premier League media day last week but hasn’t done an interview this summer, nor has he highlighted the fact he is back at Leeds on social media. Only last week did he remove Everton from his Instagram profile.

Harrison expected the boos and although no player wants that, he is determined to make it work at Leeds, believing performances on the pitch are crucial. And, most important of all, he has the manager’s support.

Leeds have yet to receive an offer but if a deal makes sense for both parties, there is still a chance he moves on. Either way, it will be a difficult decision to make. For a player with three years left on his current deal, a loan would be more likely but if he stays and impresses in the top flight, his value could rise.

‘It depends how Jack uses his chances,’ Farke said in Sweden. ‘He’s under contract. He knows the Premier League inside out. He’s a really good age, has many Premier League appearances and we would be stupid if we didn’t want to use it. He’s a great guy, a hard worker, a pretty reliable player and has proven this at Premier League level.’

Across the subsequent friendlies in Germany – played behind closed doors – Farke’s focus on Harrison was evident, with constant one-on-one communication.

Perhaps that is because Harrison was still getting to grips with Farke’s style and vice versa, but it made you wonder: would the manager give this much attention to a player who did not have a future at the club?

Leeds’s friendly against Villarreal at Elland Road on August 2 could have been an early indicator of whether the fanbase had taken heed of Farke’s comments. As one fan posted on X: ‘I get butterflies over the thought of Elland Road booing Jack Harrison.’

Instead, Harrison was absent from the squad due to an adductor problem. His initial fears were that it could be as serious as the hip injury he suffered in 2023 but the scans went well.

Go back to that comment about wanting to make history at Leeds and for now, it looks very likely Harrison will play at Elland Road this season. There is some patching-up still to be done and it is quite the coincidence that Leeds host Everton on Monday. 

There will still be boos but it won’t stop Farke turning to Harrison. The German knows delivering on the pitch will be the perfect remedy for a less-than-ideal situation.

‘Our supporters don’t need my message,‘ said Farke. ‘I’m sure it will calm down. Everyone knows whoever wears this shirt should get support because it’s always beneficial for a group if you support the players.

‘In pre-season, he’s proven he’s ready. I’m sure if he works really hard for this club and has good appearances then 100 per cent our supporters will be behind him.

‘They don’t need me to remind them. This will be natural once he delivers good performances.’