Manchester City will sell Taylor Harwood-Bellis to Southampton for £20m after Saints’ promotion triggered a clause in his loan deal.
Harwood-Bellis helped Southampton win the Championship play-off final by beating Leeds 1-0 and their immediate return to the Premier League means the Hampshire club are obliged to buy the defender.
The 22-year-old centre-back made 46 appearances for Russell Martin’s team this season and the manager joked: “I said one of the biggest motivations today is we win and you will be stuck with me. I believe he will play for England many many times.”
Harwood-Bellis said: “It had a massive edge to it knowing that I’m staying here permanently. I love the club - it’s a special football club and the fans are amazing.”
His transfer will mean City have received around £80m in two years from Southampton, following the moves of Romeo Lavia, Samuel Edozie, Juan Larios and Gavin Bazunu in 2022 and then Shea Charles in 2023.
As Harwood-Bellis is a product of City’s academy, the fee will count as pure profit in terms of Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
The England Under-21 international only made eight appearances for City but also won promotion from the Championship last season while on loan at Burnley.
Southampton’s return to the Premier League will bring the club around £140m as their spell in English football’s second tier came to an end after just a single season.
The Saints had been in the top flight for 11 years before they were relegated last season, as Leeds fell to their third play-off final defeat without scoring and their sixth unsuccessful play-off campaign.
