There will be no third-straight Premier League promotion for Taylor Harwood-Bellis after the young center back helped Southampton back to the top-flight in Sunday’s triumph over Leeds United at Wembley Stadium.
The 22-year-old Harwood-Bellis, a regular in the England youth national team set-up and captain of the U21s who won the European Championships last summer, experienced promotion campaigns with both Burnley and Southampton on the most recent of his five loans away from Manchester City.
But the second promotion has triggered a clause in his loan deal to make the move permanently as Saints return to the Premier League next season.
[ MORE: Leeds vs Southampton recap, player ratings ]
“I’m at a loss for words. It’s different because I know I’m a Southampton player now so I can’t describe the feeling,” Harwood-Bellis said, via the BBC. “You know what? I wanted to stay here and to do it mainly for that. To be in the Premier League and knowing there’s not even a discussion, I just turn up for preseason, I just can’t put it into words.”
Southampton manager Russell Martin had the following to say on Harwood-Bellis arriving at Saints permanently: “I don’t know how much we paid for him, but whatever it was, it will be worth it for sure,” Martin said. “I said to him before the game and joked, ‘that the biggest motivation for me was we win so you can carry on working with me and be stuck with me,’ but I genuinely meant it. One of the things why I was so desperate to win is to continue working with him because I think he has such a high ceiling. I really believe he’ll play for his country many, many times. I hope we can help him on his journey to get there.”
Harwood-Bellis was a big part of Saints’ possession out of the back, averaging nearly 88 completed passes per game and connecting on 4.7 long passes per 90 minutes for coach Russell Martin. He was also among the team leaders in clearances and blocks.
The clause is said to be around $25 million, so Saints have their first buy of the summer season.
Harwood-Bellis also had loan stints with Blackburn Rovers, Anderlecht, and Stoke City, and eight made cup appearances for Man City. He turns 23 in January and is seen as one of England’s top young center back prospects.
