Daniel Farke has been publicly vocal in his frustration at the previous regime’s decision to include relegation clauses in some Leeds United contracts, which have dogged Leeds during his reign.
Paraag Marathe was on the Leeds board while The Whites were still in the Premier League before the club suffered relegation to the Championship in 2022-23, but it is unclear how much of a say Marathe had.
While in the Premier League, Victor Orta inserted relegation loan clauses in some Leeds contracts. This meant that if Leeds were relegated, clubs could sign a Leeds player on loan, and Leeds had to accept.
The thought process was, it was a quick and easy way to reduce the wages. What it also meant, and the reason for Farke’s frustration was, that eight senior players left and Leeds could not rake in a single penny.
Whether Jack Harrison’s relegation clause is active for a third year
Eight went in the summer of 2023. Brenden Aaronson, Max Wober, Rasmus Kristensen, Robin Koch, Luis Sinisterra, Jack Harrison, Diego Llorente and Marc Roca all jumped ship after relegation – like Orta.
Koch, Sinisterra, Kristensen, Llorente and Roca have since left permanently with Kristensen turning his loan at Frankfurt permanent this summer. Aaronson and Wober are back at Leeds after loan spells in Germany.
For Harrison, the future is unclear. He signed a five-year deal at Leeds, a few months before the club was relegated. He has since spent the last two seasons on loan at Everton, with Leeds in the Championship.
With three years left on his deal, The Athletic say promotion means his loan exit clause is no longer active. Everton fans don’t want Harrison to stay, but David Moyes is said to be a fan of Harrison’s work rate.
What next for Jack Harrison with Leeds deal expiring in 2028
Orta is seen as a villain-like figure among Leeds fans for many reasons, and many mistakes. One of them being to hand Harrison a massive long-term contract, one which makes very little sense two years on.
Leeds fans, like Everton supporters, do not want Harrison. He has jumped ship and while he had credit in the bank after helping Leeds end a 16-year stint outside of the Premier League, that has come to an end.
There is a world in which Harrison returns controversially, like Wober and Aaronson did. He has Premier League experience and spent five seasons at Leeds before going on loan to Everton for two campaigns.
But MLS clubs are interested in Harrison, and if gaffer Farke watched any of his Everton matches during 2024-25, surely he would rather sell. What is clear, is that Harrison cannot use the loan clause a third time.
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