Adam Forshaw hails Leeds United recruits, youth and summer impact of Jack Harrison

ADAM FORSHAW says Leeds United's squad is definitely strong enough to seal an automatic promotion place with the Whites midfielder hailing the club's new arrivals and the best set of young players he has ever worked with.
LOOKING SHARP: Leeds United winger Jack Harrison in pre-season. Picture by Will Russell/Getty Images.LOOKING SHARP: Leeds United winger Jack Harrison in pre-season. Picture by Will Russell/Getty Images.
LOOKING SHARP: Leeds United winger Jack Harrison in pre-season. Picture by Will Russell/Getty Images.

The former Everton, Brentford, Wigan Athletic and Middlesbrough midfielder is also predicting big things from returning Manchester City loanee Jack Harrison with Forshaw joining the growing list of those impressed with the 22-year-old's impact this summer.

City winger Harrison is back for a second season-long loan at Leeds and joins loanee centre back Ben White from Brighton and marquee forward signing Helder Costa from Wolves as the summer's main recruits.

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Centre-back Pontus Jansson has been the main departure with the Swede sold to Brentford for £5.5m after a breakdown in relationship between the club and the player.

The Whites have also sold Jack Clarke to Tottenham Hotspur for an initial fee of £9m but the teen has returned back to Leeds on a season-long loan to form part of a group that Forshaw firmly believes has what it takes to put the Whites back in the Premier.

Asked if with the comings and goings Marcelo Bielsa'a squad was now strong enough to better last season's finish of third, Forshaw said: "Definitely. And I think one thing the manager has done which is exceptional is the young players that he has brought through.

"The future is so bright at the club, I have never been at a club with so many good young players and then there are the additions of Ben and Helder, Clarkey has come back and Jack Harrison has looked very sharp since he has come back.

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"He has come back in brilliant shape and I am really excited to see them all and see how they do."

Forshaw is approaching his second full season with Leeds following his move from Middlesbrough for £4.5m back in January 2018 under Whites boss Thomas Christiansen who lost his job three weeks later.

Christiansen's replacement Paul Heckingbottom then lasted just short of four months but United then moved to make former Argentina manager Bielsa the highest paid head coach in their history.

Bielsa now becomes the first Whites boss since Simon Grayson at the turn of the decade to start a second season from the first day of the campaign and Forshawbelieves Leeds will reap the rewards of stability under Bielsa.

"Continuity is a big thing," said Forshaw.

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"Marcelo knows what he wants from us and we know what he wants from us.

"If we can just go that one step further, try and gain a little bit more fitness and play with the intensity that we did last season then we will be a force to be reckoned with.

"We are more determined than ever.

"We have made some good additions, the lads are a lot more accustomed to how the manager wants us to play now and we are used to the training and the way it is day to day.

"Continuity is a really good thing and going into the season everything is really good."