Southampton's Taylor Harwood-Bellis is reportedly on his way to Benfica, with the Portuguese club's manager Marco Silva leading the pursuit. The transfer is expected to be completed for around €20m. This is not the first time Harwood-Bellis has been linked with a move away from Southampton, having previously been loaned out to Manchester City.
What happened?
On Tuesday, Sport Witness relayed news of Benfica identifying Harwood-Bellis as their priority target. They made contact with Southampton and are ready to offer €20m. The Southampton man is on the front page of Record, with 'Harwood close' in bold.
Why it matters for Southampton
The transfer of Harwood-Bellis would be a significant blow to Southampton, who invested €23m to sign him from Manchester City in 2024. He made 132 appearances for the club, scoring 7 goals and providing 3 assists last season.
What comes next?
Benfica's manager Marco Silva faced Harwood-Bellis on three occasions while at Fulham and is leading the pursuit of the Southampton star. The transfer is expected to go through for around €20m, with Record stating that the deal should be completed barring any unforeseen circumstances.
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 4th in Championship, 80 pts, 22W-14D-10L from 46 games, recent form WDWDD. Goals this season: 82 scored, 56 conceded (+26 goal difference). Title race: 15 points behind leaders Coventry. Last result: Southampton 2-1 Middlesbrough (2026-05-12). Recent form (last 5): 3W-2D-0L (WWDDW, most recent first); on a 2-game winning run. Next fixture: vs Bolton (at home, 2026-10-17).
