The New England Revolution have acquired Jack Harrison, a monumental transfer for the club. With that in mind. we have another scouting report, this time more focused on his time at Fiorentina.
Viola Nation, a [Redacted] site focused on covering Fiorentina, gave us the scoop on Harrison's time in Italy and how he might perform in Major League Soccer.
Make sure to check them out on BlueSky or check out their site.
TBM: Overall, what were your initial thoughts when Harrison was brought in on loan? What were your expectations?
Viola Nation: The consensus among Fiorentina fans when Harrison arrived in January was, "Huh?" He seemed like a fringe EPL/Championship player who hadn't accomplished much in the top flight. He was obviously meant to be a depth signing rather than a starter, but the excitement was muted at best. Tough look for the former Gatorade Player of the Year.
Given that Fiorentina was utter cheeks last year, my only expectation was vague competence. I didn't expect a ton of production on the scoresheet or even a lot of highlight moments. Some of that was based on the transition from England to Italy and the need to learn a new language/country/lifestyle, but more of it was his underwhelming recent history at Leeds and Everton.
TBM: Where did Harrison primarily play and how did he perform throughout the campaign?
VN: Harrison played almost exclusively on the right of a front three, although I think he'd be fine on the left as well and could, in some systems, probably do a job as a central midfielder.
Statistically, Harrison wasn't impressive. He scored once in 15 games and chipped in 3 assists, 2 of which were way more about a teammate taking a goal well than his brilliant passing. When I did the end-of-season grades, I gave him a C for meeting expectations without surpassing them. For context's sake, I was a tough grader as a teacher.
TBM: What stands out about Harrison's style of play the most or sets him apart from other players?
VN: Harrison doesn't have a ton of outstanding technical or physical qualities. He lacks outstanding speed and quickness, preventing him from consistently beating his defender in 1-v-1s. He's not a great dribbler or penetrative passer. He's not a threat in the box.
Nevertheless, the Fiorentina fans ended up with a begrudging respect for the GPotY because he works his tail off. He trundled up and down the line and always gave it everything, including some key defensive interventions to highlight his willingness to track back. He also generally played within himself, not trying to do too much and putting the team first.
Stylistically, he's happier staying wide and crossing than cutting in and shooting. In a team with plenty of creativity, he'll do the unglamorous off-ball stuff: holding the width, tracking his fullback, and pinning defenders so his more illustrious teammates can do the really cool stuff. In short, he's a functional player rather than an inspirational one.
TBM: What is your reaction to him coming to MLS? How do you think it will compare to his level of play in Italy and what do you think it means for his career?
VN: MLS seems like a good fit for him. He's got history in the northeast (alumnus of the Berkshire School in Sheffield, MA) so the bedding-in process won't be as hard; he didn't speak any Italian when he arrived and had some trouble getting on the same page as his teammates in Florence.
I'm never sure how to compare leagues with regards to player talent levels because the real world is so much more complicated than FIFA. Players don't just have a numerical level of ability; how they perform depends on lots of factors. For example, there are plenty of guys who've struggled in Serie A then excelled in the Premier League even though the latter is obviously a level or two above the former.
Caveat over.
I think Harrison will do well. He looked like a very good Championship player for Leeds but forced his way out when they got relegated and never found his footing at Everton. In Serie A, he was fine for Fiorentina (again, a club that was nearly relegated and played in a manner that warrants criminal investigation). My best guess is that'll translate to MLS.
If he's happy returning to the US, I assume he's not still harboring European ambitions and will stick around for the rest of his career. At 29, he's got several good years left and I could see him becoming the sort of gritty veteran who moves into a deeper, more central role as he ages. If you told me in 2034 that Harrison was still playing in MLS as a beloved midfield general, I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised.
TBM: What is your favorite memory from his time in Italy?
VN: My favorite memory of him on the pitch is certainly his lone goal. It was a lovely, curled effort against Lecce in a key late-season relegation 6-pointer. That'll play anywhere.
This was infuriating during the season, but in hindsight his struggles to figure out how to play with Brazilian rightback Dodô were very funny. Neither was ever where the other expected and they missed passes to each other constantly. In the movie about Fiorentina's cursed 2025-2026 season, their relationship would've been a wonderful comedic subplot.
Finally, his farewell to Florence was quite nice. He talked up the city and how much he'd enjoyed his time. Seemed like a class guy. Combine that with his obvious effort to learn a bit of Italian and it's hard not to come away with a positive impression
