Declan Rice’s departure will have a variety of effects for West Ham United. The club has lost both their captain, a pillar of leadership, calm, and perseverance, as well as their mighty and ever-present talisman. The Hammers are currently considering how to wisely reinvest the enormous £105 million sum received from the record sale.
West Ham’s first priority is a new midfielder, but according to reports, David Moyes is also looking for a new right-sided center-back. Taylor Harwood-Bellis is one of those connected. The Irons are negotiating a contract for the Manchester City starlet, according to the Guardian. West Ham is also considering Trevoh Chalobah and Harry Maguire in addition to Harwood-Bellis. Wesley Fofana’s injury and the ex-Manchester United captain’s hefty salary, though, may make the youthful player the most sensible and practical choice.
The Premier League winners, according to The Evening Standard, are worth almost £15 million for their youthful talent. A important player in Burnley’s promotion to the Premier League under Vincent Kompany, Harwood-Bellis spent the previous season on loan at Burnley. with the end of the upcoming season, his contract with City ends, and he is eager to decide his future.
Pep Guardiola is not going to give Harwood-Bellis a significant part at the Etihad the upcoming season, thus City is hoping to incite a bidding war for his services. The center-back is also wanted by Burnley on a long-term basis.
Is Taylor Harwood-Bellis A Good Fit For West Ham?
Harwood-Bellis has accumulated a respectable variety of experience despite just being 21 years old, including several Championship loans and a brief stay with Anderlecht. He has already amassed 97 outings beyond the Etihad Stadium and is qualified to play consistently for a Premier League team. Hardwood-Bellis made his professional debut for his childhood club in September 2019 in the EFL Cup, has also irregularly made it into Pep Guardiola’s starting eleven.
He scored the opening goal for City in an FA Cup victory over Port Vale at the start of 2020, and as a result, he was given a new contract that would last until 2024. A route into the City first team, though, appears to be incredibly difficult and hazy. The current European Champions already have players like Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, and Aymeric Laporte on their roster, and Josko Gvardiol appears to be on the verge of joining them.
Nevertheless, Harwood-Bellis deserves to play consistently in the highest division of football because of a really excellent stint at Burnley. He made 31 second-tier starts while on loan at Turf Moor last year, leading the team in interceptions (1.1) and blocks (0.7) per game as the Clarets swept to promotion and allowed the fewest goals (35) in the league.
The Englishman has further demonstrated his talent on the international stage by leading the U21 Three Lions to the European Championship. He started five of the six games during this stretch, completed 90% of his passes, and prevailed in 86% of his ground battles. Getting his agreement would be a great way to smooth Rice’s departure and jump-start their lackluster transfer window.
