Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that Leeds United part-owners 49ers Enterprises may have saved the club from relegation by not selling Jack Harrison this winter.

What's the latest on Jack Harrison and Leeds?

As things stand, the Whites are in a bit of a scrap to avoid dropping out of the Premier League at the end of the season. Indeed, they sit 14th in the division but just two points above the bottom three.

Thankfully for Leeds, they have managed to pick up a vital four points from their last two league games before the international break, which has helped lift them up the table.

English winger Harrison was crucial in both matches, scoring and assisting in the draw against Brighton, while also netting in the most recent win over Wolves.

Of course, though, he was close to joining Leicester City in January, even travelling on deadline day for a medical, only for the deal to fall through.

Now while talking about the player on Chasing Green Arrows, Jones has revealed that it was the "guys from San Francisco" who opted against the sale.

He explained: "It went right to the wire, that move, and, you know, it obviously fell through it last minute, Leeds pulled the plug.

"I think it was the guys from San Francisco, that obviously half-own Leeds, [that] decided not to go through with that one. They wanted to keep him and it's turned out to be a decision that might actually end up keeping them in the Premier League."

Will Jack Harrison keep Leeds from relegation?

As things stand, Andrea Radrizzani still has a majority shareholding in Leeds but 49ers Enterprises – the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers and minority shareholder at Elland Road – have the option to fully buy Radrizzani out in January 2024 for around £500m (via The Athletic).

Despite not having full ownership, it sounds as though the 49ers still have quite some say in key decisions if it was indeed their end that wanted Harrison to stay in Yorkshire.

And as it turns out, it looks like that may well be a brilliant call due to his pivotal role in helping Javi Gracia and his side pick up some important points in recent weeks.

And had he been at Leicester instead, he may well have been helping a direct rival in the relegation fight, with the Foxes just one point behind the Whites.

What's more, it has been reported recently by Football Insider, that Leeds are potentially set to hand the Englishman a new deal with his current terms set to expire in the summer of 2024.

And so, by the sounds of it, the club's owners are pretty content to have not sold Harrison when the offer was on the table.