'I hear' - Taylor Harwood-Bellis could leave Southampton as Everton eye transfer | OneFootball

The one-cap England centre-back has become the subject of exit talk this window

Southampton FC centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis has reportedly emerged on Everton's transfer radar late in the winter window amid interest from clubs in the Premier League.

That is according to former Manchester United chief scout, Mick Brown, who has relayed such thoughts to Football Insider.

It has been a grim return to the Championship for Saints, who are currently languishing in mid-table after failing to mount any form of consistency throughout their first 29 league games of the season under Will Still and current head coach, Tonda Eckert.

The South Coast side's most recent outing saw them draw against fierce rivals, Portsmouth, for the second time this season in a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park, with the result against John Mousinho's relegation-threatened side doing very little to lift the current mood of discontent at St Mary's.

Ahead of their upcoming clash against Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium on Saturday lunchtime, Eckert's side are 15th in the second tier standings having accumulated 37 points thus far.

This leaves Saints seven points behind the play-off places and just eight points in front of the relegation zone as the campaign enters it's final quarter.

Despite their lack of consistent form, there have also been plenty more outgoings than incomings throughout the current window at St Mary's. The likes of Gavin Bazunu, Ronnie Edwards, Ryan Fraser and Damion Downs have all left on either a permanent or temporary basis, whilst exit talk continues to surround a handful of seasoned Championship and Premier League campaigners that are still on Sport Republic's payroll.

Harwood-Bellis very much remains one of those heading towards the 7PM transfer deadline on Monday evening, in what could be a huge blow to Southampton's season if the 24-year-old was to swiftly depart.

Mick Brown drops Everton FC transfer link on Southampton FC defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis

Harwood-Bellis has been one of Southampton's most consistent performers in what has been an extremely chaotic and largely dismal period in the club's recent history.

After previously enjoying loan spells at Championship level with the likes of Stoke City and Burnley, which included a second tier title-winning season under Vincent Kompany at Turf Moor in 2022/23, the Stockport native was initially loaned to St Mary's at the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign under Russell Martin, with the view of a permanent deal at the end of the campaign.

The defender proved to be a key figure throughout the regular season and Saints' successful play-off campaign, which saw a £20m permanent move on a four-year contract triggered after the 1-0 victory against Leeds United at Wembley Stadium in May 2024.

Harwood-Bellis has since been rewarded with his solitary England cap to-date, marking the occasion with his first Three Lions goal in a 5-0 rout over the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Nations League in November 2024.

Despite the club's swift return to the EFL in a season which included three different permanent or interim head coaches, Harwood-Bellis was heavily linked with a return to Burnley, as well as a potential switch to West Ham, which failed to materialise.

Football League World exclusively revealed on January 21st that Harwood-Bellis had emerged as a target for several Premier League clubs.

FLW also understand that there is no expectation that the defender will depart ahead of the deadline. However, there has since been a handful of revelations regarding the identity of two clubs monitoring the Saints ace.

Burnley's interest in a reunion resurfaced last week, with it being claimed that the Clarets may also look into striking a deal in the summer transfer window, whilst Brown claims that Everton are also interested.

“Harwood-Bellis is a player who is being mentioned again," he said.

“He’s done well at Southampton, I have my doubts about how good he is at Premier League level because most of his success has been in the Championship.

“But there are Premier League clubs who have been looking at him because he’s a young centre-back which there aren’t exactly a multitude of.

“Burnley are being spoken about, and I hear Everton have been having a look at him too," claimed Brown.

Southampton FC will hope to retain Taylor Harwood-Bellis in the short-term

Having already sanctioned the exit of Edwards to Queens Park Rangers this window, it must be said that depth at centre-back isn't Saints' strongest point at present.

Losing a player of Harwood-Bellis' current ability and future potential at present would, therefore, be a huge risk, regardless of the potential fee which the club are likely to receive or recoup.

The defender is still under contract for two-and-a-half more years, meaning Southampton still hold plenty of bargaining power, and supporters will hope the hierarchy stick to their aforementioned stance.