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Golden boy’ left Liverpool for Man United but suffered relegation after £20m transfer collapsed

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Golden boy’ left Liverpool for Man United but suffered relegation after £20m transfer collapsed

Former Liverpool academy player Jack Harrison is expected to be one of the first players to leave Leeds United following their relegation to the Championship

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Jack Harrison of Leeds United reacts following the Premier League match between Leeds United and Everton FC at Elland Road
LEEDS, ENGLAND – AUGUST 30: Jack Harrison of Leeds United reacts following the Premier League match between Leeds United and Everton FC at Elland Road on August 30, 2022 in Leeds, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
It doesn’t matter whether you’re Steven Gerrard, Trent Alexander-Arnold or a little kid playing down the local park, all boyhood Liverpool fans dream of scoring at Anfield on their Premier League debut.

Only the smallest fraction of supporters end up being able to make such dreams a reality of course, with even the majority of would-be professional footballers having to ‘just settle’ for running out at the home of the Reds instead.

A look around the squads of professional clubs in England and you’ll find plenty of boyhood Liverpool fans on their books, including even Man City talisman Kevin De Bruyne. But one childhood Red who actually got to make that dream a reality, has just seen his own Premier League ambitions come tumbling down

Jack Harrison is expected to be one of the first players to leave Leeds United this summer following their relegation to the Championship on the final day of the season. The former England Under-21s international scored the Whites’ consolation in their 4-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur as defeat sealed their fate.

A former Liverpool academy player, Leeds Live report that the 26-year-old, after being substituted with a knock in the 88th minute, ‘made a point of slowing his final few steps from the field, looked around, did a 360 and ensured everyone had seen his thankful applause’. He also gave his shirt away and shook as many hands as he could while walking around the perimeter of the Jack Charlton and Norman Hunter stands.

They would appear to be the farewell actions of a man aware he could have been making his final appearance in a Leeds United shirt. Despite signing a new five-year contract in April, it is reported that the Peacocks won’t stand in Harrison’s way if the right offer comes in, with a number of Premier League clubs already interested in offering him a swift return to the English top-flight.

As a 26-year-old English winger with 21 goals and 16 assists in the Premier League across the past three seasons, Harrison won’t be short of offers. He even nearly left Leeds mid-season when a £20m deal was agreed with Leicester City, only for club bosses to have an 11th hour change of heart.

Yet his Premier League dream wasn’t meant to end like this. A player previously on the books of Liverpool, Manchester United, and Man City, without ever featuring for any of the trio, his road to the English top-flight was far from orthodox.

But he has made the absolute most of it during Leeds’ three-year stint in the Premier League, starting with a near-perfect start at Anfield against Liverpool in September 2020 when making his English top-flight debut.

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Liverpool legend linked with shock return to Anfield as part of ‘drastic shake-up’

Sadio Mane could be in line for a shock return to Liverpool this summer, according to reports in Germany.

His departure came just weeks after Liverpool’s defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final and was viewed at the time as a major loss, with the Senegal international later going on to finish second in the 2022 Ballon d’Or standings behind Lionel Messi.

But his move to Germany hasn’t gone to plan.

Tasked with filling the void left by Robert Lewandowski, Mane has managed only seven Bundesliga goals in his debut season in German football.

He made a bright start at Bayern but was then sidelined for several months with a leg injury in November, which forced the Senegal international out of the World Cup in Qatar.

He was subsequently suspended by his club and, after returning to the fold, was forced to play a bit-part role in the remainder of the season as Bayern claimed the Bundesliga title in dramatic circumstances on the final day of the season.

Mane to return to Liverpool?

German outlet BILD (via the Liverpool Echo) are reporting that Bayern Munich chiefs are planning a ‘drastic shake-up’ after almost losing out on the title to Borussia Dortmund.

Club chariman Herbert Hainer axed CEO Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic immediately after the title had been won in a ruthless cull which could extend to Mane.

Meanwhile, ex-Man City winger Sane and former Arsenal star Serge Gnabry have also been named as players who could leave Bayern this summer.

While Mane is rightfully viewed as a legend at Liverpool, having scored 120 goals in 269 appearances for the club, it is unclear if the Merseysiders will make a move for the Senegalese forward this summer.

Jurgen Klopp already has a number of world-class attacking options in his squad – Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo.

Liverpool’s main focus on the transfer market is in the midfield department, with the club close to completing a deal for Brighton star Alexis Mac Allister.

They are also interested in several other targets, including Nice’s Khephren Thuram and Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone.

And it is unlikely the club will be able to afford Mane in addition to the several new midfielders Klopp is keen to bring to Anfield.

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