TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS:Reports
UPDATE: FirstSky Sports, then The Sun reported on Tuesday that Harrison has flown to the United Kingdom to finalize a move to Middlesbrough, but not via a permanent sale just yet. The outlets claim that the winger will instead be sold from NYCFC to their sibling club Manchester City for £4 million (about $5.6 million) and then loaned out to Boro for the rest of their current season.
The London-based tabloid Daily Star reports that League Championship side Middlesbrough and veteran manager Tony Pulis are hoping to secure New York City FC and England U-21 midfielder Jack Harrison for a roughly $8.5 million transfer fee.
English Premier League sides Newcastle United and Stoke City also remain interested in Harrison, the Star indicates. Stoke had reportedly made a $4.5 million bid a week ago for the wide midfielder, who had 10 goals and six assists while appearing in all 34 of New York City's 2017 league games.
While Newcastle and Stoke are locked in a Premiership relegation battle, Middlesbrough are trying to push themselves into the promotion playoff position in the Championship.
This week, NYCFC manager Patrick Vieira suggested it was a roughly even chance the club would sell Harrison before the close of the winter European transfer window.
A Stoke native who grew up playing in the youth systems of Liverpool and then Manchester United, Harrison moved to the States as a young teen and played one season of collegiate soccer at Wake Forest before arriving in MLS via the SuperDraft.
Talk of a move back to England has grown ever since his call-up to England's U-21 national team for a pair of European Championship qualifiers last fall.
