Tonda Eckert hints Harwood-Bellis remains available amid Aston Villa bid | OneFootball

Tonda Eckert has hinted Taylor Harwood-Bellis remains available for Southampton selection despite a rejected bid from Aston Villa.

According to Daily Echo, Villa’s offer, believed to be around £18m, was turned down. Benfica also had a bid rejected last week and are now thought to have moved on.

Saints host Stoke City tomorrow afternoon in their first Championship home match, after an opening 2-1 defeat at Watford.

Eckert recalled heavy interest before a trip to Stoke in January and said he thought Harwood-Bellis produced one of his best displays on 31 January. He stressed the defender’s importance and said he believes the 24-year-old was the Championship’s best centre-back last season, so outside interest is normal.

He praised Harwood-Bellis’s professionalism and underlined that the player remains with Southampton. West Ham had a £12m offer turned down in January.

Midfielder Shea Charles has already joined Fulham this month for an initial £26m plus £4m in add-ons. The window closes at 11pm on Tuesday, the first of September, and Southampton aim to retain as many key players as possible, though offers meeting valuations could be hard to ignore.

Eckert noted that negotiations ultimately sit above him and that he is involved in some conversations. He said his focus is on coaching the squad, with decisions for the board and Johannes Spors.

Source: Daily Echo

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