- Nabeel
Reports: Vincent Kompany requests Taylor Harwood-Bellis on loan for Anderlecht
Taylor Harwood-Bellis is set to join Anderlecht on a season-long loan after a request from Vincent Kompany, with an announcement expected soon, according to reports.
A joint report from HLN Sport journalists Pieter-Jan Calcoen and Kristof Terreur emerged at around 9 am this morning claiming that Belgian side Anderlecht were in talks with Manchester City to sign Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who spent the last few months of the 20/21 season in the Championship at Blackburn, where he played regularly, on loan.
News of the England U20 going out on loan was unsurprising given that on June 13th, Alan Nixon of The Sun, who has a good reputation with Championship and academy dealings, reported that Pep Guardiola's side were going to send the centre-back out on loan again, with Premier League newcomers Brentford interested along with Blackburn and Bundesliga clubs. However, it's Vincent Kompany's Anderlecht side who have managed to secure the 19-year-old's signature on a season-long loan.
Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News provided more detail into the move not too long after the reports from HLN Sport pair Calcoen and Terreur. Brennan reported that Harwood-Bellis flew to Belgium on Monday and is set to have his medical today. It's added that with paperwork and legalities still to be completed, Anderlecht will announce the signing later.
It's claimed that former City captain, Kompany specially requested the signing of the central defender, who upon hearing of the interest from the Belgian knew it was too good of an offer to turn down.
City are said to like the idea that Harwood-Bellis will learn from Kompany in both a footballing sense and the intangible qualities of leadership.
Anderlecht proved a successful loan last season for Lukas Nmecha, who scored 21 goals and notched 3 assists, and City will be hoping for another positive development story at the end of the new campaign for their promising defender.
Harwood-Bellis, who is a lifelong City fan, extended his contract at the club last season until 2024 and featured in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup last season.
Written by: @NA1907_
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