Not enough! Southampton slam the door on Villa's £18m bid for Harwood-Bellis
Aston Villa's search for a new defensive leader has hit its first wall.
Details: According to The Athletic, Southampton have rejected Aston Villa's £18 million offer plus add-ons for Taylor Harwood-Bellis. The Championship club are holding out for a higher fee, although the Villans are expected to return with an improved bid before the window closes.
Villa are in urgent need of a centre-back after agreeing to sell Ezri Konsa to Arsenal for £51 million, and Harwood-Bellis is not the only name on their list, with Chelsea's Tosin Adarabioyo also under consideration. Southampton have already shown their resolve this month: just five days ago they turned down a €20 million bid from Benfica for the same player, while West Ham saw a loan approach rejected back in January.
The 24-year-old vice-captain, a product of Manchester City's academy, became a Southampton hero by helping the club win promotion in the 2024 playoff final and then joined permanently for £20 million, signing a contract until 2028. It's worth noting that Transfermarkt values Harwood-Bellis at €20 million, so Villa's opening gambit looks like a clear attempt to test the Saints' resolve on the cheap.
Reminder: Impressive double on the transfer market! Aston Villa completes second major signing of the day.
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
