Everton circle for Manchester City defender with January transfer swoop mooted

In the summer of 2021, a number of Manchester City’s most gifted youngsters went out on loan to further accelerate their development at senior level.

James McAtee - who had looked set for a bigger role in the first-team at one stage - has since headed to Championship giants Sheffield United on a season-long loan.

Tommy Doyle - who redeemed his stagnating career - has also joined his fellow boyhood Sky Blues supporter at Bramall Lane for the ongoing campaign.

Luke Mbete - who had made the cut in the Manchester City side’s initial matchday squads - signed for Huddersfield Town on a temporary basis, while James Trafford is spending another campaign on loan at Bolton Wanderers.

Another name that joined the list to test himself away from the blue side of Manchester this term was Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

The Englishman reunited with Vincent Kompany at Burnley in the Championship, as well as former teammates CJ-Egan Riley and Arijanet Muric - both of whom have joined the club on a permanent basis.

So far, the 20-year old has impressed for the Clarets at the heart of defence, starting in every league game for the side.

The Manchester City academy graduate, known to be a lionhearted defender whilst also being extremely comfortable in possession, has slotted into the side without breaking a sweat.

As with all of the Premier League champions’ loanees, the hope remains that they impress and return to their parent club again one day.

However, that may well not be the case with Harwood-Bellis, who has now been linked with a switch to a side in the English top-flight.

Burnley's Taylor Harwood-Bellis (on-loan from Manchester City).

As per a report by The Sun, Everton have their sights set on a move for Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

It has been claimed that Frank Lampard’s side are interested in signing the England U-21 international in January, bringing an abrupt end to his loan spell at Turf Moor.

However, it is believed that any transfer is more likely to transpire in the summer of 2023.

Further details suggest that Pep Guardiola’s side could allow Harwood-Bellis to leave the Etihad Stadium on a permanent basis, inserting a buy-back clause in place in case they wish to bring the youngster back in the near future.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis joins Burnley on loan.

As things stand, it is next to impossible for the youth product to become an established first-team player at the club, with Manuel Akanji joining a centre-back roster that already had the likes of Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Nathan Ake.

Manuel Akanji (Image: PA Images/Alamy)

With buy-back clauses in place for other young players such as Romeo Lavia, Gavin Bazunu, Samuel Edozie, and Juan Larios at Southampton, as well as Issa Kabore at Olympique Marseille, the same could be the case with Taylor Harwood-Bellis, if a move to Everton gets over the line in the coming months.