Southampton consider Elche’s David Affengruber after Harwood-Bellis’s Villa medical | OneFootball

Southampton are considering Elche centre-back David Affengruber, 25, as they react to Taylor Harwood-Bellis’s Aston Villa medical late in the window.

According to Sainstmarching.com, Elche want 12m for Affengruber, though a deal could be struck at around 10m ahead of Tuesday’s 11 pm deadline.

The Austrian moved to Spain in 2024, helped Elche win promotion, then coped in La Liga. He ranks in the top 10 percent of La Liga defenders for tackles, recoveries and interceptions, and also ranks well for passes and dribbles. Manchester United have reportedly had a look.

At 6ft 1in, he wins roughly 64 percent of aerial duels, with similar success on the ground. Austria capped him this year and took him to the World Cup. He is no like-for-like for Harwood-Bellis, more of a front‑foot, aggressive defender who could partner Keven Schlotterbeck.

Schlotterbeck is in and playing, while Joshua Quarshie has joined Sturm Graz on a season-long loan, leaving Nathan Wood and Stephens as cover. It was reported Sunday that Southampton submitted a bid worth more than 38m for Viking centre-back Henrik Falchener, seen as the most realistic deal before the window shuts.

Caution is advised over Affengruber, with no mainstream English outlet picking it up this morning and 12m considered steep. Rumoured interest from Manchester United could alert other Premier League clubs, so getting it over the line quickly would be work. Whether it happens should become clear in the next 30 hours or so.

Source: Sainstmarching.com

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