Harwood-Bellis ‘wants’ Benfica move as Saints hold at €35m after Circati deal | OneFootball

Benfica have agreed terms worth around €20m with Parma for Alessandro Circati, Football League World reports from Lisbon, a development that may ease Southampton’s stand-off over Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Southampton want €35m, about £30m, and have not shifted. David Ornstein and Ben Jacobs reported on 15 August that Benfica offered €20m, around £17m. Correio da Manha said the defender told them he wanted out, yet Southampton did not blink.

His contract runs to summer 2028, so there is no looming free transfer to weaken Southampton’s hand. Promotion triggered an obligation in 2024, with Manchester City receiving £20m, so selling now for less would book a loss.

He made his 134th Saints appearance at Vicarage Road on Sunday, heading a late chance wide. Across the Championship and Premier League he has 189 games, 11 goals and eight assists, with seven goals in 41 league matches last season, underlining that valuation.

Deadline day is 1st September, leaving just under two weeks. For a club bottom of the Championship on minus four points, Circati to Lisbon strengthens the position, but this is not a happy ending. Players who ask to leave in August are rarely content in October, and another defender still feels necessary whether he stays or goes.

Source: Sainstmarching.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”