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Defender could join Man City first-team next season [Opinion]

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Manchester City aren’t short of centre-backs with John Stones, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake, but Pep Guardiola could have one more at his disposal next season – Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

The 19-year-old is currently on loan at Anderlecht and has been a regular at Lotto Park, so he could return to the Etihad Stadium next season as an option for Guardiola.

Harwood-Bellis has spoken out about his career goals and admits he wants to challenge for a starting place back at City when his loan spell in Belgium ends. He told Het Laatste Nieuws (h/t Sport Witness): “For me, my ultimate goal is to eventually breakthrough at City, but there are different roads that lead to the top.

“I see Anderlecht as an important step in my development. Look, I knew for myself quickly that a new loan move would be really necessary. It’s hard to get minutes when the best players in the world are in front of you.

“Hopefully, one day, I will become one of those players that young guys look up to and think, ‘I have one of the best players in the world in front of me here.’ That’s my goal.”

The England U21 international has risen through the youth ranks to the fringes of City’s first-team, making 21 appearances for the U18s, 10 appearances for the U19s, 40 appearances for the U23s and eight appearances at senior level.

Harwood-Bellis was loaned out to Blackburn Rovers (February 2021 – May 2021) last season to get competitive football after outgrowing the reserves and now he’s being managed by Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht. There are few better defenders to get an education from, so he’s in good hands there.

The 19-year-old will have stiff competition when he returns to Manchester, but he’s clearly developing in the right direction and hasn’t done his chances any harm with how well his Anderlecht stint is going – 15/18 appearances in all competitions.

In other news, Barcelona consider £81m-rated Man City player following Sergio Aguero injury

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Sports journalist who is an avid football fan, enjoys debunking transfer rumours, loves to write pieces about players out in the cold and takes a large amount of pride getting a predicted XI 100% correct.