West Ham make final decision on Taylor Harwood-Bellis transfer after £20m update
West Ham are ready to accept defeat in their pursuit of Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
Harwood-Bellis has been on West Ham‘s transfer radar for some time now, with the defender having been linked with a move to the London Stadium since 2023.
Plying his trade for Southampton since the summer of 2024, the 24-year-old central defender is once again starring in the Championship despite Saints’ disappointing campaign so far this term.
However, Harwood-Bellis has shown true top class potential and ability previously, having been capped by England at senior international level and not looking out of place in the Premier League either.
West Ham moving on from Taylor Harwood-Bellis
Nuno Espirito Santo is known to be desperately searching for some defensive reinforcements before Monday’s transfer deadline.
West Ham have been strongly linked with signing Harwood-Bellis before the window shuts, but now any move for him looks dead in the water.
As per a report from Sunday’s print edition of The Sun on Sunday, it’s revealed that West Ham are now ‘exploring other options’, as a result of seeing two bids for Harwood-Bellis turned down.
It’s stated that Southampton have slapped a £20million valuation on the defender’s head, but West Ham have so far only been able to go as high as £12m.
The report ends by confirming that the Hammers are still exploring a loan move for Chelsea defender Axel Disasi though, as time is now against Nuno to secure a defensive signing before the deadline.
- Read more: West Ham hold advanced talks to sign Axel Disasi as late twist emerges before transfer deadline
West Ham have endured highly disappointing winter window
With Nuno’s side in the type of relegation danger they find themselves in, many West Ham supporters expected David Sullivan and the Hammers hierarchy to really go for broke in the market this winter.
It goes without saying just how devastating relegation to the Championship could be for the Irons, as there’s far from any guarantee that the team would simply come straight back up in 2026-27.
Therefore, this winter window was a real chance to make some vital and shrewd signings that gave Nuno and his coaching team the best chance of keeping West Ham in the Premier League.
However, both Taty Castellanos and Pablo both very much look like strikers who need time to adapt to English football, whilst there are big question marks over Adama Traore’s production levels in recent times.
As such, it doesn’t really feel as though West Ham have signed any big ready-made impact-makers this winter, and that could cost them dearly if that doesn’t change by Monday’s deadline.
Stay up to date this winter with our West Ham transfer tracker. Click to see every done deal at the London Stadium, plus expert reaction from our team of writers.