Sky Sports Reporter Claims Saints Agree Harwood Bellis Deal With Aston Villa
Sunday, 30th Aug 2026 18:41

The internet is awash with rumour mongering after Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas has posted on his X account that Taylor Harwood-Bellis could be Aston Villa bound after Southampton agree deal with the midlands club.

givemesport.com are one of the media outlets quoting Lyall Thomas:

Exclusive: #AstonVilla have agreed in principle a £30m package to sign Taylor Harwood Bellis from #Southampton. £25m guaranteed fee plus £5m in bonuses. More details to finalise but looks to be happening. More on @SkySportsNews. #avfc

This is of course not unexpected, although as Thomas reveals, there are a few more details to be finalised yet.

The sad thing about this, is that this has dragged on for several weeks now with THB's last game for Saints being on the opening weekend of the Championship season on the 16th August.

Villa put in a derisory bit of £18 million to unsettle the player, completely unrealistic given Saints had already turned down that sum from Benfica.

But it does give us time to sort out a replacement and with £25 million up front it gives us options.

All Photos Via Reuters

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grumpy added 18:47 - Aug 30 That's a good deal for Saints.
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bstokesaint added 18:47 - Aug 30 Yeah no surprise. I hope we don’t mess around now. Not much good sorting things out on the pitch and not doing the stuff off it.
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Bowlercow added 18:54 - Aug 30 Go get Folkenor from Norway £12m would be irresistible
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WoolstonSaint2 added 19:22 - Aug 30 Hopefully we will be signing another decent CB by Tuesday, and a CM boss. UTS
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Herts_Saint added 20:26 - Aug 30

If it's £30m then that's a good deal for Saints. I won't begrudge him wanting PL wages and a stab at the CL. He stuck with us all last season. Although very good he's always been prone to make the odd error and switch off, especially at the highest level although I'd have loved him to stay. Now we just need another CB. I see the Norwegian has been rumoured. Surely we can now blow any other suitors out of the water with a bid and get it wrapped up. If not him another quality CB. If we do that (and after yesterday) I'd be very positive above the season ahead......Oh, and another midfielder please.

ElSanto added 22:22 - Aug 30 Use the money for another striker. I’m still not sure about Mubama.
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Colburn added 08:22 - Aug 31

Good deal for someone who lacks pace and makes mistakes. I think he was great for us in many ways but don’t think he’s ready for a move like this or worth 30 million, I thought we overpaid for him at 20 tbh. Shows how far Villa have fallen, from Konsa to THB. Good luck to him though and I wonder if this means the Viking warrior will arrive. We still need a Charles replacement but that won’t happen before January at least by the looks of it. I like the look of Romeo but it’s too soon for him to fill those shoes. Still need to get rid of a few like Roerslev, Sugawara, Archer and Ramsdale, must be a few quid there…

SaintPaulVW added 08:34 - Aug 31 Ideally an experienced striker, CM and CB in. Sugawara and Ramsdale still need to be sorted out. Downes and Archer loans?
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Block8 added 09:58 - Aug 31 Get Damien Downes out to a league one or two side, where someone will work him. We could even pay his wages for a club that will play him? There must be something in there? Maybe like Larin it just needs encouragement & game time. He cost £7 million so it must be worth a try?
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Monksway added 10:58 - Aug 31 I think JWP is Charles replacement. Any spare money I'd like to see spent on a third Centre Forward, it's the one position where we can't "mix and match" in the event of an injury, suspension for Larin.
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Monksway added 11:40 - Aug 31 I wonder if there is any chance of Ramsdale to Forest as they've been enquiring after Henderson at Palace and been knocked back. Hopefully, Saints and his agent are on the case!
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IanRC added 11:43 - Aug 31 I rated THB not just for his defensive work, which I thought was better than most on here apparently, but also for his ability to play accurate long ball passes. However, our new centre back appears to be able to do the same, albeit with his left foot. Need to sign another CB though definitely.
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KriSaint added 13:23 - Aug 31

Good luck to THB. I like him and thank him for staying last season but he is not the finished article + he was error prone on occasions. It was frustrating to sometimes see him take things, that he was as responsible of as anybody, out on his team mates.
Now, hopefully we will seriously consider bitting for one of those juicy Norwegian CBs and a decent striker with experience, while I hope things get sorted out with players like Ramsdale, Roerslev, Downes and Archer.
Sugawara, I would personally probably keep as cover for Bree. Roerslevs wages are too high (double what he got at Brentford I've been told, 40 Ks per week).