Daniel Farke’s Leeds United are now reportedly facing stiff competition from David Moyes’s West Ham United for Manchester City central defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

According to The Sun on Sunday (print edition, page 59, July 30, 2023), Leeds United and West Ham United are among the clubs who are interested in signing Taylor Harwood-Bellis from Manchester City in the summer transfer window.

The report in the British tabloid claimed that Fulham are also keen on the 21-year-old English defender, who spent last on loan at Burnley and helped the Clarets win promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.

The Sun on Sunday (print edition, page 59, July 30, 2023) claimed that Manchester City, who won the Premier League, the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League last season, are adamant that they will sell the England Under-21 international centre-back only for £15 million.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis blow for Leeds United from West Ham United

The Guardian is now reporting that West Ham “have been working on a deal” for Harwood-Bellis.

This indicates that the Hammers are actively trying to sign the 21-year-old, which is a blow for Leeds.

West Ham will play in the Premier League next season and will also feature in the UEFA Europa League.

The Hammers won the UEFA Europa Conference League last season.

Leeds will play in the Championship next season after getting relegated from the Premier League.

Why would Harwood-Bellis move to a Championship club on a permanent basis when he has the chance to join an established Premier League outfit in West Ham?

After all, the youngster has already shown that he is very good at the Championship level, and the next step in his career would be to play regularly in the Premier League.

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West Ham United handed boost in Travoh Chalobah chase after Chelsea transfer news

West Ham may have been handed a boost in their attempts to bring Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah to the club, after the Blues agreed a deal to sign Axel Disasi from Monaco, according to The Athletic.

The Athletic journalist Liam Twomey shared on 30 July that Chalobah will be one player whose future is affected by Disasi’s arrival, stating that the deal would be bad news for the English centre-back, as he was already viewed as a sellable asset by Chelsea.

West Ham were linked with a move for Chalobah earlier this month [90min, 3 July], as they look to bolster their options at centre-back, having also been linked to Manchester United’s Harry Maguire [Manchester Evening News, 29 July] and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah [Sky Sports, 28 July] in recent days.

West Ham should capitalise on uncertainty

In what has been a very slow transfer window the Hammers, the club should be alert and aware of ongoing developments, and move to capitalise as soon as possible on any uncertainty their transfer targets, namely Chalobah, feel with regard to their current club.

Chalobah played an important role in Chelsea’s defence last season, despite the turbulent direction of the club, as he made 25 Premier League appearances amid plenty of chopping and changing with the three managers at Stamford Bridge across the course of the season.

The arrival of Disasi at Stamford Bridge is reportedly affecting how Chalobah views his future at the West London club, having previously made his intentions clear to stay and fight for a starting place.

West Ham’s pursuit of a new centre-back this summer comes as a result of inconsistency and injury issues, with the Hammers’ centre-back partnership Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd missing 30 games combined last season.

In other West Ham news, the club have finally reached an agreement to bring a Juventus midfielder to East London.

‘He has to move: £190k-a-week player told to secure transfer to West Ham United

Stewart Robson has told Manchester United defender Harry Maguire that he has to secure a transfer to David Moyes’ West Ham United this summer.

The former Arsenal player spoke about how the 30-year-old has ‘lost his confidence’ in the colours of Manchester United.

Last season, Harry Maguire was a back-up option for Erik ten Hag, with Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, the main two centre-back, even on occasions Luke Shaw played ahead of him.

Now, he has been stripped of the captain’s armband and Robson thinks he has to accept a transfer to West Ham United, so he can rebuild his career, as he told ESPN.

Whilst those at Old Trafford will play in the Champions League this forthcoming campaign, in truth, if everyone is fit, Maguire will be restricted to domestic cup matches only.

At his age, when he is supposed to be hitting his best form, that’s unhealthy and that is why Robson is recommending he moves to the London Stadium.

“I still think he can still do a job,” said Robson. “I think he has lost his confidence. When you see him play now. He isn’t that confident player that I used to see running out with the ball.

“Every time it comes to him, you can tell the Manchester United fans, even the ones in the States, are half taking the mickey out of him and he looked uneasy.

“He has lost a bit of pace. He was never quick. But I think now, through a lack of confidence, he doesn’t see things quite so quickly. He has to move. He can’t stay at Manchester United and be the fourth choice.

“I think West Ham fans are a good bunch, in the main, they like to get behind their players and he would do okay there. He would be a good signing for them. One club in West Ham want to take a gamble on Maguire by saying ‘we will get him back to his very best’ and I think Maguire has to take that. They are a club on the up after winning the Conference League.”

West Ham shouldn’t pay over the odds for Maguire

It has been suggested that Manchester United have rejected an offer of around £20 million for Maguire from West Ham, but will the London club go in again and put in another bid?

In truth, they shouldn’t look to go past £30 million for a player that is on the decline and not wanted by his current club.

It could even be argued that £20 million is enough and Manchester United will find out that they can’t sell their £190k-a-week player (Spotrac) because of the high price they have put on his head.