Benfica have seen an offer of €20million (£17m) for defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis rejected by Southampton.
The Championship club are open to a sale of the 24-year-old if their valuation is met with Benfica’s new head coach Marco Silva a big admirer.
Harwood-Bellis is keen on the possibility of the move if a deal between the two clubs can be struck.
The centre-back has been a key player for Southampton ever since joining in the summer of 2023, initially on loan from Manchester City before the deal was made permanent for £20m the following year following the south-coast club’s promotion to the Premier League.
A product of City’s academy, Harwood-Bellis previously had loan spells at Burnley, Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City and Anderlecht, and made eight first-team appearances in what was then Pep Guardiola’s side.
He made 48 appearances in all competitions last term, including featuring in 41 of the club’s 46 Championship games and both legs of the play-off semi-finals.
He won his only senior England cap to date under Lee Carsley in November 2024, scoring in a 5-0 win over the Republic of Ireland.
