OPINION
Jack Harrison may not have had the desired effect at Elland Road since Leeds United signed him on loan from Manchester City, and could Marcelo Bielsa already be making plans to replace him judging by reports from Spain?
According to Diario AS, Leeds are willing to enter negotiations over signing Alaves winger Ibai Gomez in the January transfer window with the 28-year-old out Spaniard of contract next summer.
Gomez played under Bielsa during his spell at Athletic Bilbao and has been in sensational form this season for Alaves, who currently sit second in La Liga, one point behind leaders Barcelona.
It would be a signal of intent by Bielsa to go after Gomez who clearly is a player of Premier League quality, but as he is a right-winger, it must mean that the Argentine is planning to be without one of his current right-sided attackers next year.
Pablo Hernandez and Kemar Roofe are both regular features on the right-wing but making plans to get rid of them simply makes no sense. Harrison is on loan from Manchester City and while he has had the occasional good game, his overall form has been worse than many would have expected from a player who according to Spotrac is earning £51,000-a-week.
Harrison has made 13 appearances across all competitions this season and has scored just one goal and not supplied a single assist.
In his 10 starts for the Whites, the Man City loanee has been on the winning side just four times and Bielsa’s men usually make a better job of picking up points when he is named on the bench.
Gomez would be a massive upgrade on Harrison and if Leeds signed him in January then there would be no chance of the England Under-21 international getting into Bielsa’s first-team plans.
And if Gomez is just being eyed up for next summer, then it shows that Bielsa has no intent of chasing up a second loan swoop for Harrison.
Either way it does suggest that the winger from the Etihad is not doing enough to impress in Yorkshire and given how Leeds may get themselves promoted this season, it would not hurt to look for better.