West Ham dealt setback in pursuit of Southampton player ahead of February 2nd | OneFootball

West Ham's late move to sign Taylor Harwood-Bellis as seen Southampton reject an opening bid.

Southampton look set to reject West Ham's opening bid to sign Taylor Harwood-Bellis ahead of Monday's 7pm transfer deadline.

Football League World exclusively revealed that Southampton's centre-back was fielding Premier League interest heading late into the transfer window. Burnley were one club to then emerge as a contender to sign the England international, having previously had him on their books winning promotion out of the Championship.

In the final days of the window, though, it's Burnley's relegation rival in the Premier League, West Ham, trying to get a deal done.

Southampton to reject West Ham bid for Taylor Harwood-Bellis

It emerged on Friday that the Hammers had joined the race to sign Harwood-Bellis ahead of February 2nd's deadline.

Sky Sports' Transfer Centre (30/01; 20:56) reported, though, that an initial bid was set to be rejected by Southampton, with the Championship outfit seeing the bid as well below their valuation of a player they do not want to lose this window. The BBC claims it was a loan offer that was rejected, but contrasting that was local reports from the South Coast saying it was an eight-figure offer.

Axel Disasi from Chelsea is a second centre-back target for the Premier League side, with a deal for Harwood-Bellis said to be unlikely between now and the close of the window on Monday.

The 24-year-old has scored four goals in the 24 appearances he's made for Southampton this season in the Championship, with the Saints still looking to find their feet again in the division after a tricky campaign so far. They are now under the management of Tonda Eckert, and sit 15th in the table, eight points short of the top six.

Harwood-Bellis made 34 Premier League appearances for the Saints last year, having helped them to promotion via the play-offs the season prior - his second promotion in two seasons.

Southampton stance understandable

If, indeed, the bid from West Ham for Harwood-Bellis was only a loan, Southampton rejecting it is completely understandable.

They paid a reported £20m to sign the Englishman after winning promotion to the Premier League, and, if they were going to be open to moving him on this month, they'd want significant compensation that a loan just does not cover in the short-term.

Moving him on anyway would be the wrong message with the play-offs still a possibility in a wide-open division this season in the Championship, although it's worth noting that the BBC claim Harwood-Bellis is keen on the move.

If that's true, he could put some pressure on Southampton in the final days of the weekend to force a move. That would be a disappointment for all involved at Saints, but particularly Eckert, given how the one-cap England international has been central to most of his recent team selections in the Championship.