Southampton confirm Harwood-Bellis move to Aston Villa | OneFootball

Southampton have confirmed the sale of Taylor Harwood-Bellis to Aston Villa. According to Daily Echo, the 24-year-old joins the Champions League club for an initial £25m, with a further £5m in add-ons.

Talks ran for two weeks before a deal was agreed on Sunday. Head coach Tonda Eckert had left the defender out of the last three matchday squads amid uncertainty over his future.

Harwood-Bellis arrived from Manchester City in 2023 on loan. Promotion to the Premier League in 2024 triggered a permanent switch worth £20m. He made 134 appearances for Saints, scoring 12 goals.

Benfica submitted a bid earlier in the window but it fell well below Southampton’s valuation. Villa also opened at around £18m before eventually matching the fee the club sought.

Following Shea Charles’s move to Fulham in a package also worth £30m, Saints are not expected to sell any major assets before tonight’s deadline. Nottingham Forest’s 20-year-old defender Zach Abbott will join on loan as Harwood-Bellis’s replacement, with a possible option to buy.

Source: Daily Echo

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