Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis is ‘too good’ for the Championship.
Saints signed the centre back in the summer on a season-long loan from European champions Manchester City, with an option to buy of £20 million should they be promoted.
He spent last season on loan at Burnley, where he was a key part of the side that won the Championship.
The England under-21 international has enjoyed a decent start to his life on the south coast, forming a good partnership with Jan Bednarek in recent months.
Jones on loanee that is ‘too good’
Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Jones believes that Harwood-Bellis is too good to be Ian the second tier, and is detained for the Premier League in the not too distant future.
“He’s an amazing prospect and I think he is too good for the Championship. I think you have to say fair play to him for even taking this risk by stepping down because he’s had offers to stay in the Premier League.
“But for a year, he thought this might be the perfect club for him to kind of step out and then step back up again. If Saints get to the Premier League, then sure they can go and sign him permanently.
“But this has to be his only season at Championship level, because you’re already seeing that this is player that is certainly Premier League-worthy.”
Should Harwood-Bellis stay?
It would be a massive boost for manager Russell Martin if Harwood-Bellis was to stick around.
Saints reportedly have a £20 million option to buy should they get promoted, which there are no doubts they would trigger should they do so.
At the age of 21, the centre back also has potential to have good resale value, too.
It would be a move that is beneficial for all parties, with it looking unlikely he would get a sniff of a chance at his parent club.
Harwood-Bellis has already spoken on how he would like to stay if they got promoted, so Martin will feel more pressure to go up just so they can keep hold of him.