The rogue Southampton target who could sign even if Taylor Harwood-Bellis stays | OneFootball

Taylor Harwood-Bellis was left out as Southampton beat Stoke City 3-1, his future still unresolved, though Tonda Eckert downplayed any sense of inevitability. Centre-back depth remains on the agenda.

According to Transfer Feed, Southampton are keen on OH Leuven defender Roggerio Nyakossi, a move that could happen even if Harwood-Bellis stays. The Swiss was also linked in January, when Chelsea and Liverpool were said to be monitoring him.

Nyakossi, an authoritative six-foot-four centre-back, recorded around 90% passing in last season’s Jupiler Pro League and scored four league goals. He profiles similarly to Harwood-Bellis and could partner the six-foot-two defender.

Jack Stephens and Nathan Wood coped well against Stoke, yet the earlier Watford match underlined how mistakes can creep in for the senior man. Adding another centre-back would therefore make sense regardless of Harwood-Bellis’ situation.

Eckert said the omission was his decision and that he does not know whether a move will happen. Supporters feared a repeat of the Shea Charles scenario, when he was dropped before joining Fulham, but no departure is a foregone conclusion. With Aston Villa thought to be short of Southampton’s valuation, attention now turns to whether Harwood-Bellis features against West Ham in the EFL Cup this midweek.

Source: Sainstmarching.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”