Leeds United could submit an offer to sign Manchester City defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis this summer, but a reliable reporter has revealed that he won’t come cheap should the 49ers want to secure his services.
How old is Taylor Harwood-Bellis?
Harwood-Bellis is 21 years of age so appears to be very much ready to step into the prime years of his career, but since graduating from his club’s academy to get promoted to the senior fold back in 2021, he’s only ever made eight first-team appearances under Pep Guardiola.
Therefore, the centre-back has spent most of his career out on the road having been sent on four development loans to Blackburn Rovers, Anderlecht, Stoke City and most recently last season at Burnley where he helped Vincent Kompany’s men achieve promotion from the Championship.
Read The Latest Leeds Transfer News HERE…
The England youth international’s contract, however, is set to expire in less than a year meaning that the current window will be the Sky Blues’ final opportunity to cash in should they not want to risk losing him for free, and should he depart, he won’t be short of a potential suitor.
City’s youth product reportedly wants to make the grade at his parent club but knows that he’ll have to permanently move elsewhere should he want to receive regular game time, and 90min have credited Newcastle United, West Ham, Brentford and Fulham all with an interest, alongside Daniel Farke’s side who “like” the colossus.
Are Leeds signing Taylor Harwood-Bellis?
According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Leeds are “interested” in Harwood-Bellis, as well as Liverpool’s Nathaniel Phillips, but it’s claimed that it will take a “big-money” bid for their clubs to even consider parting ways.
The Whites, and by extension new owners the 49ers Enterprises, are “ready to go back into the market” for more defenders despite last week’s addition of Tottenham Hotspur’s Joe Rodon on a season-long loan as a result of the long-term injury sustained by Liam Cooper during the 2-2 Championship draw vs Cardiff in the opening weekend of the new season.
Standing at 6 foot 2, Harwood-Bellis is a real titan and showed that last season at Burnley where he averaged 3.1 clearances and 2.8 aerial wins per second-tier game, via WhoScored, not to mention that he recorded an 85.3% pass success rate which was higher than any of the regular starters achieved at Elland Road.
The Stockport-born talent, who has been dubbed a “warrior” by journalist Josh Bunting, is also capable of getting involved with the action in the final third having posted 15 goal contributions (ten goals and five assists) throughout his career, highlighting the threat he poses when it comes to set pieces.
Harwood-Bellis, who also has the versatility to operate out wide at right-back alongside his usual role at centre-back, was previously reported to have been given a price tag of £15m, and whilst that’s a hefty fee to cough up for a newly-relegated side, it’s one that could be worth paying to bolster the ranks at Leeds, making this one to watch before the deadline.