Romeo Lavia reacts as Southampton secure transfer deal for Man City man
Romeo Lavia sent a message to Taylor Harwood-Bellis after he joined Southampton from Man City.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Southampton’s recruitment team had a busy summer but managed to retain key players and make eye-catching additions, including the signing of Taylor Harwood-Bellis on loan from Manchester City.
- Harwood-Bellis, an England U21 international, is expected to become a major player for Southampton due to his technical ability and defensive instincts, making him an ideal fit for manager Russell Martin.
- Former Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia congratulated Harwood-Bellis on the move, as both players previously trained together at Manchester City, although Lavia has since left the club and joined Chelsea.
Former Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia has congratulated Taylor Harwood-Bellis after he completed a move to the Saints from Manchester City.
Southampton sign Taylor Harwood-Bellis
It was a hectic summer for Russell Martin and the recruitment team at St. Mary’s Stadium, with the club knowing they were going to be busy after relegation to the Championship.
However, fans are sure to be pleased with how the squad looks following the deadline, as Southampton managed to retain some key players, whilst they also made some eye-catching additions.
Harwood-Bellis falls into the category of the latter, with the defender joining on an initial loan deal from City.
The England U21 international, who captained the young Three Lions to Euro glory this summer, starred for Burnley at this level last season, and he seems the ideal fit for Martin with his technical ability along with his defensive instincts. Therefore, he’s expected to become a big player for the side moving forward.
What did Romeo Lavia say about the move?
The deal was confirmed ahead of the deadline, and Harwood-Bellis took to Instagram to send a new message to the Saints fans, as he made it clear that he wants to win promotion this season.
“Very proud to be at this Football Club. Can’t wait to get started and give everything to get the Club back where it belongs.”
And, that prompted a response from Lavia, who simply put two applause emojis as he reacted to Harwood-Bellis sealing the transfer.
The midfielder had been in his own transfer saga this summer, with Lavia one of the many to have left Southampton following their relegation to the Championship.
The Belgian international was on the radar of Liverpool, who had made a big-money offer for the youngster, but he ended up joining Chelsea for around £58m, in a move that made Saints a substantial profit on the player, just a year after he signed.
Does Romeo Lavia know Taylor Harwood-Bellis?
The message won’t have come as a surprise, as the two players had both been on the books of Man City in the past, and whilst they haven’t played together a lot, they will have trained together with the Premier League champions.
Harwood-Bellis has been with City since he was a kid, coming through the ranks, although he has had to go out on loan for game time.
Meanwhile, Lavia moved to Manchester in 2020 from Anderlecht, but he stayed for just two years before leaving for the south coast, in a move that he will no doubt feel has been justified with how his career has played out since.
What next for Southampton?
After all the drama of the window, Southampton are back in Championship action today as they make the long trip north to take on Sunderland in the early game of the day.
Harwood-Bellis is eligible to play, although he may have to settle for a place on the bench, with Mason Holgate an option to partner Jan Bednarek as he has had a full week working with the group, unlike the new recruit.
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