West Ham United transfer target Taylor Harwood-Bellis has moved a step closer to joining the Hammers by switching to a very familiar agent.
The ex-Manchester City player, who moved to Southampton on a £20m transfer at the start of this season, was heavily linked with a move to West Ham yesterday.
Despite the Saints’ poor Premier League form this season, Harwood-Bellis has put in some excellent displays, eventually earning his full England call-up and scoring on his debut.
The player is expected to be available for a knock-down £15m fee in the event of Southampton’s inevitable relegation. The future son-in-law of Roy Keane has wasted no time in hastening the move by switching agents to Will Salthouse.
Salthouse is a family friend of West Ham chairman David Sullivan and runs the Unique Sports Group agency. The same combination was responsible for the summer transfer of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and also represents Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell among their clients.
It is believed that Harwood-Bellis moved to Salthouse’s management team in late December. However, the agency updated their social media feeds last week, welcoming the highly-rated player: “We’re buzzing to have the Southampton centre-back, Taylor, as part of the USG family.”
This is a typical playbook manoeuvre when footballers are looking to secure a move, and the fact he’s joined Unique Sports Group surely gives West Ham a massive advantage
Wait till Keane has a word and tells him don’t go there son they mucked up me and sir Alex for the title no end of timed😂😂😂⚒️⚒️⚒️
Graham has already shown he is determined to do things his way and will not be dictated to on who he should buy regardless of who the agent is. Ultimately his neck is on the line if West Ham do not achieve the targets he has been set, and why would West Ham pay over a million pounds to bring in Kyle Macaulay to head up recruitment if Graham is unable to recruit his own targets?
Brady supported Graham’s appointment so would certainly not be happy if we simply brought Salthouse’s clients, and Graham would have sought guarantees on transfer budgets and authorities before agreeing to join. Otherwise he would be completely undermined.
Summerville is in Salthouses books as well.
Is ON his books
Good signing for sure.I can’t see Potter not sanctioning a transfer he doesn’t strike me as a yes man.
Is this good news because Harwood-Bellis wants to join us or is it bad news because Sullivan / Salthouse are back in charge of transfers?
I think the key question should be whether Potter thinks that this will be a good idea
I mean a fee of roughly £15m for a young, proven defender who is a marked upgrade on Mavropanos then it’s a good idea.
I mean naysayers are all “He’s part of the team with the worst defence in the PL! Avoid!” but it’s his performances at Southampton this season which got him an England call up (and debut) and he scored in it.
At his price, age and for his performances this season (despite Southampton’s struggles) he’d be a great bit of business.
When you consider that despite only having 3 natural CBs in the squad, Potter has shown more willingness to start Coufal and Cresswell in a back 3 over a fit Mavropanos then fairly confident Potter will think it’s a good idea, yeah.