Southampton handed transfer boost by West Ham after eyeing up Taylor Harwood-Bellis deal | OneFootball

Southampton have been handed a boost in keeping Taylor Harwood-Bellis, as West Ham United are chasing Charlie Cresswell.

Southampton have been handed a potential boost in their hopes of keeping star defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis this summer, as West Ham United are now said to be pursuing a deal to sign Charlie Cresswell from Toulouse.

The Saints have been raided over the last week for some of their best players, with both Tyler Dibling and Mateus Fernandes completing big-money moves to the Premier League.

Fortunately, Will Still has been able to move quickly to replace these outgoings, but there has been some concern over the future of young English defender Harwood-Bellis, who is on the radar of West Ham.

However, Southampton could be dealt a big boost to their chances of retaining the ex-Man City prodigy, with the Hammers now pursuing a deal to sign former Leeds United centre-back Cresswell from Toulouse, according to Alan Nixon via his Patreon page.

The 23-year-old has been a stalwart for the Saints since his initial loan arrival in 2023, and could potentially be a key component in the promotion recipe that Still is trying to cook up.

West Ham keen on Toulouse defender Charlie Cresswell after eyeing Taylor Harwood-Bellis

West Ham's start to the Premier League season has been nothing but a horror show, with heavy defeats against Sunderland and Chelsea in their opening two games piling the pressure on Graham Potter from the get-go.

The East London side are still keen on making moves in the transfer market to try and strengthen their squad and secure that elusive first win, which has seen reports emerge that young Lions defensive duo Cresswell and Harwood-Bellis are being eyed up ahead of the deadline.

According to Nixon, the Irons are keen on a late deal for former Leeds defender Cresswell, who is plying his trade in France with Toulouse, and could be available for a reported fee of around £13 million.

It was also said that West Ham had previously eyed a move for the 23-year-old's defensive partner for England under-21's, Harwood-Bellis, who is reportedly valued at over £20 million by Southampton.

Despite parting ways with star players Dibling and Fernandes late in the window, Southampton have held firm on their stance when it comes to the England youth international.

Earlier in the window, Portuguese side FC Porto had a reported bid of around £20 million rejected for the centre-back, meaning that the Saints' valuation of the player is likely substantially higher than the fee the Primeira Liga side put on the table.

With Cresswell reportedly available for around £13 million, it seems West Ham would be much more likely to pursue this deal, rather than spending in excess of £20 million to bring Harwood-Bellis to the London Stadium.

This will come as a huge boost for Southampton, who've had their resolve tested by Porto already, but held firm, which could serve as a deterrence to prevent any further advances for the 23-year-old this summer.