Aston Villa have reached a verbal agreement to sign Taylor Harwood-Bellis from Southampton, with the defender now closing in on a return to the Premier League club.
Softfootball understands that Villa have agreed to pay £25 million plus a further £5 million in add-ons, taking the potential value of the deal to £30 million.
Harwood-Bellis has given the green light to the move, with personal terms understood to be progressing smoothly.
The remaining step is for the clubs to exchange and complete the necessary documents before the transfer can be formally finalised.
The move comes after Villa completed the departure of Ollie Watkins, who officially joined Al-Hilal in a deal reportedly worth around £50 million plus add-ons.
Watkins leaves Villa after an impressive five-year spell, having joined from Brentford in 2020 and gone on to make 278 appearances and score 108 goals for the club.
For Al Hilal, Watkins represents another significant attacking acquisition as the Saudi club continues to attract established European talent. His pace, movement, physicality and Premier League experience are expected to add a different dimension to their frontline.
Villa have also strengthened their attack with the £65 million signing of Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea, who has already completed his medical and signed his contract.
Jackson’s move to Villa also reunites him with Emery, who previously worked with the striker during their time at Villarreal. The manager is understood to have played an important role in the decision to bring the forward to Villa Park.
Harwood-Bellis would now provide another important addition as Unai Emery continues reshaping his squad following Watkins’ departure.
The England international previously established himself as a highly regarded young defender at Southampton and is now set to take the next step in his career.
With the verbal agreement already in place and the player’s approval secured, Villa and Southampton only need to complete the paperwork before Harwood-Bellis can officially become an Aston Villa player.
