If Southampton get promoted, Man City transfer must immediately be on the agenda: View | OneFootball

Southampton should make the signing of on-loan defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis a priority next season, if the Saints continue their impressive form to win promotion to the Premier League.

The South Coast side have excelled so far in the Championship, and their recent form has put them third in the Championship, just one point away from Ipswich Town in second place.

Their recent undefeated run in the league has impressed many fans and pundits, with attention brought to both the attacking and defensive aspects of the team's play under manager Russel Martin.

Harwood-Bellis has been one of the key players in that team, and the Saints should make signing the defender in the summer a priority.

The defender was one of many signings made in the summer following relegation from the Premier League, and he has helped the club move ever closer to a return to the top division.

Southampton should sign Harwood-Bellis on a permanent deal

Southampton should make the signing of the on-loan Harwood-Bellis a priority this summer, as the defender has impressed so far. He joined the club on loan from Manchester City in the summer on a season-long loan, with an option to buy at the end of the current campaign.

The centre-back has been a regular presence in the Saints' back line this season, starting nearly all the club's matches in the Championship. In the 23 league games he has played, Southampton have kept seven clean sheets, while avoiding defeat entirely since their loss to Middlesbrough in September.

The Saints have conceded just 32 times in 28 league games, with only six sides boasting a tighter defence. This, combined with the second-highest scoring attack in the division, has made them a lethal force, with Harwood-Bellis an important part of that side.

He is a classy defender that is confident in possession, making him perfect for playing in a top side in the league like Southampton.

Making 87.2 passes per 90 minutes, he has the fourth highest passes-per-game in the league for a side that boasts an average of 66.4% possession per game. This shows Harwood-Bellis is comfortable with the ball at his feet, while Jan Bednarek's inclusion in the list below shows how much the Saints value their defender's ability to keep possession.

While Martin would likely love to make his stay at Southampton a permanent one regardless, the Saints' performances will decide whether the defender will be able to stay at the club past this season, with promotion surely key.

Southampton promotion will be needed in order to afford the deal

The club reportedly have a £20 million option to buy the player permanently at the end of the season, which is a significant outlay for the central defender.

While he has shown that he is worth every penny of that fee, the Saints may struggle to find the funding for the deal if they do not win promotion to the Premier League.

£20 million would put Harwood-Bellis as the most expensive Championship signing in history, so it is unlikely that the South Coast club would be able to afford such a hefty fee in the second division; it's a top-flight deal.

As well as that, we must take the player's opinion into account. With his fantastic showing so far, it is unlikely the Man City defender would want to drop into the Championship again.

Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that the Englishman is "too good for the Championship", and the defender may take that to heart when deciding where to move to in the coming year.

He has clearly shown the ability to play consistently at a high level, and would likely attract suitors from other Premier League clubs if the Saints failed to gain promotion.

That is why it is imperative for Martin's side to gain promotion. Missing out on such a talented 21-year-old would be a huge-missed opportunity for the club, as Harwood-Bellis could be a key feature of the side for the next decade, or even command a huge transfer fee in the future like Virgil Van Dijk did in 2018.