Ex-Claret is showing his class again at Saints

BURNLEY'S failure to secure Taylor Harwood-Bellis on a permanent contract following promotion to the Premier League already looks like a fatal misjudgement.

- Chris Dunlavy

The 21-year-old centre-back spent last season on loan at Turf Moor, where his organisational skills and precise distribution proved pivotal as the Clarets ambled to one of the most comfortable title triumphs in recent history.

Harwood-Bellis subsequently returned to parent club Manchester City and publicly announced that he would be open to making a full-time return.

City, though, extended the player's contract which was due to expire next summer until 2025 and demanded £15m.

Burnley baulked at the fee, as did other top-flight suitors, and Harwood-Bellis returned to the Championship on deadline day, with Southampton agreeing a deal that will see them pay £20m to turn an initial loan into a permanent transfer should they seal an immediate return to the Premier League.

So far, at least, their gain is Burnley's loss. Pre-weekend, the Clarets had shipped 30 goals in 12 games, won just once and lacked much of the composure that Harwood-Bellis brought to Vincent Kompany's back line.

Southampton, by contrast, began the weekend unbeaten in eight matches and have overcome initial teething problems under Russell Martin to enter the race for automatic promotion.