Manchester City earn whopping £20 million windfall from Southampton play-off final success | OneFootball

Manchester City have made £20 million as a result of Southampton earning promotion to the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Southampton secured a return to the top-flight on Sunday, winning at Wembley Stadium less than 24 hours after Manchester City’s agonising defeat to Manchester United in the Emirates FA Cup Final at the same stadium in north London.

The Saints overcame Leeds United 0-1 in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final, with Adam Armstrong’s 24th minute strike propelling Russell Martin’s side to the Premier League, where they will face champions Manchester City next season.

Pep Guardiola’s side were unable to win a fourth trophy of the season on Saturday, losing 1-2 to local rivals Manchester United after first-half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, with the Sky Blues suffering a first lost since early December.

Manchester City loanee Taylor Harwood-Bellis enjoyed success in the capital however, with the England Under-21s defender starting the play-off final for the Saints on Sunday – a 46th appearance of the campaign for the centre-back.

The 22-year-old moved to St Mary’s on a season-long loan in September, and has made 43 Sky Bet Championship appearances, including in all three play-off matches for the Saints.

Harwood-Bellis has been involved in five goals during Southampton’s season, as the club returned to the top-flight at the first time of asking, after being relegated from the Premier League last year.

The centre-back will feature permanently for Southampton in the Premier League next season, with the Englishman automatically completing a £20 million move to St Mary’s as a result of play-off success, due to a clause within the loan agreement between Manchester City and the Saints.

Harwood-Bellis has made eight first-team appearances for the Sky Blues, with the Stockport-born defender having been at the Etihad Stadium since the age of six.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed previous loan spells at Blackburn, RSC Anderlecht and Stoke City, with the centre-back also winning promotion with Burnley during a season-long loan last year.

Harwood-Bellis will discover when he will face his boyhood club Manchester City in the Premier League next month, with the 2024/25 fixtures scheduled to be published on Tuesday 18th June.