Southampton will sign Manchester City loanee Taylor Harwood-Bellis on a permanent deal for £20million following their play-off final win over Leeds United.
Promotion for Russell Martin’s side triggered an obligation to buy clause in the 22-year-old’s St Mary’s contract.
The defender has played a key role in Southampton’s promotion campaign, with 46 appearances this season including Sunday’s play-off victory at Wembley.
Harwood-Bellis has previously spent time away from City on loans with Burnley, Blackburn, Stoke and Anderlecht and made a total of eight senior appearances for his parent club.
“I just feel really grateful. I felt that all well, loads of gratitude about what the staff and the supporters,” Martin said. “Taylor becomes our player now which is really nice.
“I told him this morning the biggest motivation for me today is that we win and he can continue working with me.”
Martin — who coached MK Dons and Swansea before joining Southampton in June 2023 — has guided the south-coast club back to the Premier League at the first time of asking following relegation to the Championship in 2022-23.
He said: “I just feel really grateful. I felt that all well, loads of gratitude about what the staff and the supporters.
“I feel like it wasn’t a sexy appointment for Southampton, me coming in, and hopefully I’ve given them a day they can remember forever. It’s given me one of the best days of my career.
“As a group of players and young men, it’s been incredible what they’ve done. I thought the toughest bit at the start of the season was seeing how fractured the group had become by relegation.
“I hope we can keep as many of that group together as we possibly can. For them to really enjoy it, I’ll probably end up in bed alone tonight crying my eyes out and feeling nothing but love for them.”
GO DEEPER
How Southampton corrected their course to win promotion to the Premier League
(Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)
