Premier League new boys make £20m Man City starlet first signing since promotion
The 22-year-old is now set to make his Premier League debut in August.
Southampton’s promotion to the Premier League on Sunday means that Taylor Harwood-Bellis will complete a permanent transfer to St Mary's Stadium this summer.
The 22-year-old defender joined the Saints on loan from Manchester City in September.
That loan deal included a clause stipulating that Southampton must buy Harwood-Bellis for a transfer fee of £20 million if they were promoted during the 2023/24 season.
As reported by Fabrizio Romano via X.com on Monday, Southampton have not triggered that mandatory clause.
Harwood-Bellis has therefore become Southampton's first signing since they went up.
Harwood-Bellis started in 40 of Southampton’s 49 Championship fixtures this season, including Sunday’s 1-0 win against Leeds United in the playoff final at Wembley.
He scored two goals - in victories over Birmingham City and Queens Park Rangers.
Harwood-Bellis - who has been capped 23 times by England at U21 level - had previously been loaned out to Blackburn Rovers, Anderlecht, Stoke City and Burnley.
The Stockport-born centre-back never made a Premier League appearance for Man City.
However, he featured in eight first-team games under Pep Guardiola in all competitions.
He was on the winning side in all eight of those matches and was among the scorers in 4-1 victory over Port Vale in January 2020.
First-team appearances by Taylor Harwood-Bellis for Manchester City
Sep 2019: Preston 0-3 Manchester City (90 minutes)
Dec 2019: Dinamo Zagreb 1-4 Manchester City (eight mins)
Dec 2019: Oxford 1-3 Manchester City (90 mins)
Jan 2020: Manchester City 4-1 Port Vale (90 mins, scored one goal)
Sep 2020: Manchester City 2-1 Bournemouth (90 mins)
Sep 2020: Burnley 0-3 Manchester City (24 mins)
Jan 2021: Manchester City 3-0 Birmingham City (45 mins)
Jan 2021: Cheltenham Town 1-3 Manchester City (67 mins)