Promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town are ready to make a move for a highly rated Manchester City youngster this summer.
The Tractor Boys are in a great position at the moment, sitting top of the Championship table on 89 points. However, things are extremely tight, and second-placed Leicester City are a point behind but have a game in hand. Leeds United sit third, just two points behind Ipswich.
A little further back in fourth are Southampton on 81 points. They can still seal automatic promotion, but must win all their games and are reliant on the others dropping points.
They will likely finish in the play-off places, and could achieve promotion back to the Premier League.
If that happens, then they will be set to sign Manchester City talent Taylor Harwood-Bellis for around £15 million.
Should the Saints remain in the Championship, then they will be unlikely to sign him permanently – but it looks as though Manchester City could still make a sale…
Ipswich Town ready to swoop for Manchester City gem Harwood-Bellis if they’re promoted and Southampton aren’t
It has been reported over the weekend by The Sun that Harwood-Bellis is now on the radar of league leaders Ipswich, as they start to think about life in the Premier League.
Harwood-Bellis has made 38 appearances for Southampton since signing on loan last summer, playing 3267 minutes.
He has been a hugely important player for Russell Martin’s side, and the club would like to buy him. But it all depends on whether they get promoted to the Premier League. Harwood-Bellis has previously stated that he would ‘snap your hand off’ to remain with the Saints if they went up.
The Sun say Southampton will buy the player for £15 million if they go up.
But if they don’t achieve their goal, then City still seemingly have a good chance to sell Harwood-Bellis, with Ipswich Town interested.
The task for Ipswich is simple – win their three remaining league games and they will be promoted to the Premier League.
Money to be made on exciting youngster Harwood-Bellis
It is looking fairly likely that City will be able to cash in on Harwood-Bellis this summer.
He is seemingly ready to move on given his comments earlier in the season, and City will see this as an opportunity to make pure profit on yet another talent from the academy.
It will be very exciting to see how the Championship concludes. But there’s a very good chance that one of Ipswich Town or Southampton will be in the Premier League next season – perhaps even both.
Whoever gets Harwood-Bellis will be lucky. Last season, when he was on loan at Burnley, Vincent Kompany hailed the England U21 star, saying (via Lancs Live): “I’ve known Taylor since he was a very young footballer before he was even a first-team player, and his one outstanding attribute is his attitude.
“He really has an outstanding attitude and he’s got good habits of high-level professionals.”
The City legend and former captain also had Harwood-Bellis on loan at Anderlecht, and clearly knows what he’s all about.
Ipswich full-back Leif Davis also said earlier this season that Harwood-Bellis had an ‘unbelievable’ campaign for the Clarets in 2022/23, and also branded him ‘a top, top player’.
