Aston Villa have had a bid worth around £18m plus add-ons rejected by Southampton for defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Villa are looking for new recruits with England defender Ezri Konsa set to join Arsenal for more than £50m.

Harwood-Bellis has been at Southampton since 2023, initially on loan, and has one England cap – earned in a 2024 Nations League match against Republic of Ireland.

Southampton, who finished fourth in the Championship last season before the Spygate scandal ended their play-offs, are understood to want around £25m for him.

Harwood-Bellis began his career in the Manchester City academy but never played for the first team.

Since winning the Europa League in May, Villa have sold key players including Youri Tielemans to Manchester United, Morgan Rogers to Chelsea and Lucas Digne to Paris St-Germain.

Goalkeeper Emi Martinez and club record goalscorer in the Premier League Ollie Watkins have also been linked with moves away.

This week Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and left-back Matteo Ruggeri. Other signings this summer include midfielder Joao Gomes from Wolves and forward Johan Manzambi from Freiburg.

Player representatives have also not seen the figures. However, if you allow for 10% growth to the $559.7m (£410.5m) the US Open generated in revenue in 2024, then prize money of $98.5m would have be in line with player expectations.

The USTA says the financial statement will be published before the start of the main draw.

Chief executive Craig Tiley, who previously headed up Tennis Australia, described the offer as “a significant first step in a multi-year investment in athletes”.

In a BBC interview in March, world number three Jessica Pegula highlighted how last year’s US Open increase was targeted primarily at those who needed it least -the players who made the second week.

This year, however, the percentage increase is highest in the first round, then falls in every subsequent round.

There are also greater rewards for those competing in the mixed doubles event, which takes place during qualifying week.

The winners will still share $1m, but there is more for everyone else who enters, with first-round prize money doubled.

Player representatives had asked each Grand Slam to contribute $4m in benefit payments this year. The USTA is the first to ring-fence this money for the players, but it will come out of the overall prize fund.

The money for the new US Open player support programme will be placed in an independent holding account while the details are worked through.

The Grand Slam Player Council will have input into this. It will launch after the US Open “with a focus on player input into sporting matters at the four Grand Slam tournaments”.

The exact framework is yet to be decided, but players have been invited to apply and told the council will allow them to discuss specific prize money concerns directly with the Grand Slam in question.

Player representatives “welcomed” the various announcements and noted the “substantial increase” in prize money.

“Players look forward to building on today’s positive announcements and ensuring the Council develops into a genuinely representative and effective forum for player consultation, while continuing to work through their representatives on prize money and player welfare,” a statement read.

The US Open begins on Sunday, 30 August.