---
title: "Aston Villa finally get their man in £30m deal after two rejected bids"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2026/08/31/aston-villa-finally-get-their-man-in-30m-deal-after-two-rejected-bids/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "James Chettle"
section: "Aston Villa Transfer News"
published: "2026-08-31T05:46:00Z"
modified: "2026-09-22T10:55:24Z"
---

# Aston Villa finally get their man in £30m deal after two rejected bids

**Aston Villa have finally struck a £30million agreement for Taylor Harwood-Bellis after Southampton rejected two previous offers for [Unai Emery](https://readastonvilla.com/tag/unai-emery/)’s preferred [Ezri Konsa](https://readastonvilla.com/tag/ezri-konsa/) replacement.**

Villa’s pursuit of the 24-year-old has taken another major step forward after negotiations accelerated over the weekend.

[Sky Sports reports that Villa and Southampton have agreed in principle on a package worth £30m](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11677/13579158/aston-villa-transfer-news-ollie-watkins-joins-al-hilal-as-deal-agreed-for-taylor-harwood-bellis), consisting of a guaranteed £25m fee and another £5m in potential add-ons.

Fabrizio Romano has also given the transfer his trademark “here we go”, reporting that Harwood-Bellis has given Villa the green light and that the verbal agreement is now complete.

Documents still need to be exchanged before the move can be formally completed.

> 🚨🟣🔵 Aston Villa have reached a verbal agreement to sign Taylor Harwood Bellis from Southampton, here we go![#AVFC](https://x.com/hashtag/AVFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) closed the verbal agreement for £25m plus £5m add-ons. Green light from the player.\
> \
> Documents yet to be exchanged but verbal agreement done. [pic.twitter.com/dIbdyzDvdv](https://t.co/dIbdyzDvdv)
>
> — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) [August 30, 2026](https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2094100912683757642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

## Aston Villa finally make Harwood-Bellis breakthrough

Villa have refused to give up on Harwood-Bellis despite repeatedly being knocked back by Southampton.

The Saints initially [rejected an £18m plus add-ons offer from Aston Villa](https://readastonvilla.com/2026/08/20/aston-villa-have-18m-taylor-harwood-bellis-bid-rejected/) before turning down an improved £20m plus £4m package.

That second rejection left Villa facing Southampton’s £30m valuation, with [ReadAstonVilla reporting that the Championship club continued to hold firm despite Harwood-Bellis wanting the move](https://readastonvilla.com/2026/08/24/aston-villa-suffer-second-harwood-bellis-rejection-as-30m-demand-emerges/).

Villa appeared to make the decisive breakthrough on Sunday.

[The Athletic had reported that the structure of a £25m plus add-ons agreement was being finalised](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7515323/2026/08/30/taylor-harwood-bellis-aston-villa-transfer-southampton/), before Sky and Romano subsequently reported that an agreement had been reached.

That represents clear progression from [Villa merely closing in on the £30m transfer earlier on Sunday](https://readastonvilla.com/2026/08/30/aston-villa-close-in-on-30m-taylor-harwood-bellis-deal/).

## Emery closes in on Ezri Konsa replacement

Harwood-Bellis has been one of Emery’s leading defensive targets since Ezri Konsa left Villa Park.

Konsa [completed his £55m move to Arsenal earlier this month](https://readastonvilla.com/2026/08/21/ezri-konsa-completes-55m-arsenal-move-after-seven-years-at-aston-villa/), leaving Villa needing an established centre-back before the transfer deadline.

Harwood-Bellis has made 134 appearances for Southampton and has also been capped by England.

Villa considered alternative options after their earlier bids failed, including Joel Ordóñez and Jean-Clair Todibo, but Emery’s interest in Harwood-Bellis never disappeared.

After two rejected offers and more than a week of negotiations, Villa have now moved to the figure required to unlock the deal.

Formal completion is the final hurdle.