England U21 captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis is yet to extend his Manchester City contract with Premier League duo Nottingham Forest and Fulham ‘leading the chase’ to sign him.
The Man City academy graduate will be a free-agent in the summer of 2024.
It’s decision time, then. Not only for City, but for Taylor Harwood-Bellis too. Does the homegrown centre-half put pen to paper on a new deal and fight for his place under Pep Guardiola, his reputation greatly enhanced by England’s success at the U21 European Championships and Burnley’s 101-point season in the second tier, Harwood-Bellis shining on loan at Turf Moor?
Or does he move on?
90Min believe that there is no shortage of interest; Nottingham Forest and Fulham at the front of the queue amid more tentative interest from West Ham and Newcastle United too.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis facing uncertain Manchester City future
City will not loan Harwood-Bellis out again, unless the Stockport-born 21-year-old first extends his deal at the Etihad Stadium. And, after playing 35 games under Blue Moon legend Vincent Kompany at Burnley, it is hard to imagine that a season on the City bench would do anything but stall his development, even if the prospect of spending time alongside Pep Guardiola on the training pitch is one that may appeal to the one-time Blackburn, Stoke and Anderlecht loanee.
“I’ve known Taylor for a long time,” Kompany told Burnley Express last year; Harwood-Bellis’ positional excellence, his quality in possession and his natural-born leadership skills the building blocks of a potentially elite centre-half.
“What everyone can see on the ball, or what everyone can see when he goes into his challenges, I think his biggest quality, that is perhaps more difficult to see on the eye, is his leadership and his incredible drive and high standards.
“These kinds of players you can almost be certain are going to improve. Usually, when a talent goes wrong, it’s because there’s something mentally not right. With him he’s got that more than anyone else.
“Wherever he is now, in two or three years’ time, he will be a lot better.”
Nottingham Forest are looking to add some depth to a defence which was hit hard by injuries in 2022/23. Fulham also want a right-sided centre-half amid doubts over Tosin Adarabioyo’s future, though the Cottagers appear to be a lot further down the line in pursuit of Fiorentina’s Igor Julio.
Igor has reportedly agreed a four-year contract in West London.
“What a group of players,” England U21 coach Ashley Cole wrote on Instagram after James Trafford’s spot-kick heroics saw the Young Lions past Spain in Sunday’s decider.
“(Harwood-Bellis) as a captain created an elite mentality and family (feel). Well done mate. Fully deserved.”
Man City value Harwood-Bellis at £15 million (Daily Mail).
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