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Aug. 23, 2026 5:51 pm EDT Updated
Southampton have rejected an improved offer from Aston Villa for centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
Talks are continuing between the clubs as Villa seek to replace Ezri Konsa after the defender’s £51million move to Arsenal.
The England international is one of three targets for Unai Emery’s side to strengthen in defence, alongside Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez who The Athletic reported on Sunday they have also made an approach for.
The latest offer for Harwood-Bellis is an improvement on their initial bid worth £18million ($24.5m) plus add-ons, which The Athletic reported earlier this week was rejected.
Harwood-Bellis came through Manchester City’s academy before joining the Championship side permanently in 2024, after an initial loan spell. He has made 134 appearances for Southampton, scoring 12 and providing seven assists, while also making his England debut under Lee Carsley in 2024.
This term, the defender played the entirety of the 2-0 League Cup victory over Colchester United on August 8 and the 2-1 league defeat to Watford. He was left out of Southampton’s win over Stoke City on Saturday, however, due to doubts around his future.
Southampton are last in the Championship, having started with a four-point deduction for spying on other clubs last season.
