---
title: "Aston Villa have £18m Taylor Harwood-Bellis bid rejected"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2026/08/20/aston-villa-have-18m-taylor-harwood-bellis-bid-rejected/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "James Chettle"
section: "Aston Villa Transfer News"
published: "2026-08-20T20:08:35Z"
modified: "2026-09-22T11:17:39Z"
---

# Aston Villa have £18m Taylor Harwood-Bellis bid rejected

**Aston Villa have had an £18million offer plus add-ons rejected for Southampton centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis as Unai Emery steps up his search for an Ezri Konsa replacement.**

Villa are preparing to lose Konsa to Arsenal after agreeing a deal worth around £50million for the England international, forcing the club back into the defensive market before the transfer window closes.

[talkSPORT reports that Villa offered £18million plus another £2million in add-ons for Harwood-Bellis](https://talksport.com/football/4527219/aston-villa-taylor-hardwood-bellis-bid-ezri-konsa-transfer-news/), but Southampton rejected the proposal and are understood to value their captain at around £30million.

> 🚨 Aston Villa make offer to sign Taylor Harwood-Bellis from Southampton. Bid £18m + add-ons; not at level needed for [#SaintsFC](https://x.com/hashtag/SaintsFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) to consider 24yo defender’s sale. [#AVFC](https://x.com/hashtag/AVFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) keen on England int’l among options to replace Ezri Konsa. W/ [@J\_Tanswell](https://x.com/J_Tanswell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@TheAthleticFC](https://x.com/TheAthleticFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [https://t.co/uSOwIw9ZCz](https://t.co/uSOwIw9ZCz)
>
> — David Ornstein (@David\_Ornstein) [August 20, 2026](https://x.com/David_Ornstein/status/2090477967033950593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

## Aston Villa make Taylor Harwood-Bellis move

The bid represents the clearest indication yet of Villa’s intentions since Konsa’s Arsenal move accelerated.

[Read Aston Villa reported earlier on Thursday that Fikayo Tomori and Tosin Adarabioyo are both on the club’s replacement shortlist](https://readastonvilla.com/2026/08/20/aston-villa-identify-tomori-and-tosin-before-50m-konsa-medical/).

Harwood-Bellis can now be added to that group, but Villa have gone further with the Southampton defender by making a concrete offer.

The 24-year-old joined Southampton permanently from Manchester City in 2024 after initially spending a season on loan at St Mary’s.

He has since become an important figure for the club and has captained the side on numerous occasions.

Harwood-Bellis also has senior England experience, scoring on his debut against the Republic of Ireland in November 2024.

Southampton’s position appears clear.

They also rejected a £17million approach from Benfica earlier this month, with [talkSPORT previously reporting that a fee around £30million could be required](https://talksport.com/football/4514509/taylor-harwood-bellis-benfica-offer-rejected-southampton-championship-efl/).

That leaves Villa with a sizeable gap to bridge.

[Konsa’s impending £50million move to Arsenal](https://readastonvilla.com/2026/08/19/aston-villa-agree-50m-ezri-konsa-sale-to-arsenal/) gives Emery greater room to reshape his centre-back options, but Villa must now decide whether Harwood-Bellis is worth approaching Southampton again.

With Tomori and Tosin also being considered, the rejected bid suggests Villa’s replacement search is beginning to move from shortlists towards concrete action.