FOXBOROUGH – The New England Revolution have officially acquired Jack Harrison as its latest designated player.
The move is the biggest of general manager and chief soccer officer Chris Tierney's young career. It brings an attacker with English Premier League and Serie A experience to a club that could use some help in attack. Across all competitions, Harrison has 54 goals and 50 assists across more than 375 appearances with Leeds United, Everton, Middlesbrough, Italy’s Fiorentina, and Major League Soccer’s New York City FC.
“We are very happy," Carles Gil said when asked by The Blazing Musket about the move. "I’m very happy and excited to play with a guy who played many years in the Premier League. It’s difficult to be there. I talked a little with him yesterday and today too. Hopefully he can have his visa very soon and help the team, because we need guys to continue in this position, and he is a quality player for sure. He’s going to give us some big moments.”
Harrison is joining New England at a great time. Dor Turgeman is finding form while Gil continues to be one of the best midfielders in Major League Soccer. Additionally, Luca Langoni's speed will be a perfect complement to Harrison's skill, and the duo could cause problems for opposing defenders.
The deal is a real statement from New England. The club is looking to not just grow but continue to invest in a club that is near the top of the Eastern Conference. With the Revolution currently in third place as of publishing, the addition of Harrison can help them return to the playoffs and make a deep run.
"He's accomplished a lot already in his career," Ethan Kohler told The Blazing Musket. "It shows that the club is really involved. Even though we are in a good spot, they want to keep pushing us to do better things."
While New England has received critiques about its spending in the past, the last few years have shown the Revs are willing to splash some cash. The Revs are acquiring EPL talent and a player who still has some great years ahead of him at 29 years old.
Expectations will be high, but it is hard not to be excited by the potential impact of Harrison. The forward will look to help New England cement its contender status and add some trophies to the cabinet now and in the future.
