Wolves have been linked with Taylor Harwood-Bellis lately and the teen might show to be Julen Lopetegui’s subsequent Jules Kounde at Molineux.
In keeping with Alan Nixon, Wolves are holding an in depth eye on the Manchester City loanee, who’s presently taking part in a starring function for Vincent Kompany’s table-toppers.
The Clarets moved high of the Championship with a 3-0 derby win over Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, with Harwood-Bellis as soon as once more excellent at centre-back, so it’s no shock that he’s attracting curiosity forward of the January window.
The 20-year-old is ranked because the second-best performer at Turf Moor to date this season in keeping with WhoScored and he’s the one participant to have performed each single recreation within the second tier, which emphasises how extremely Kompany charges him.
Albeit taking part in within the second tier, his 7.14 common score from WhoScored would additionally rank him because the top performer at Molineux, so it’s simple to see the standard that he might add to Lopetegui’s squad, significantly in a leaky defence which as soon as once more got here unstuck within the 2-0 defeat in opposition to Arsenal on the weekend.
Would Harwood-Bellis be a great signing?
Sure
No
Whereas the defender leads the way at Turf Moor by way of blocks, clearances and interceptions, backing up former supervisor Tony Mowbray’s reward of his “warrior attitude“, he’s additionally extraordinarily assured in possession, which is the place the similarities with Barcelona star Kounde start.
As per FBRef, Harwood-Bellis and Kounde each rating extraordinarily impressively by way of passes tried, progressive passes and assists this season, which reveals that they’re each centre-backs who will be efficient with the ball at their toes.
The French defender occurred to be an everyday underneath Lopetegui at Sevilla, making 133 appearances for Los Nervionenses throughout the coach’s time at Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, which is the second-most of any participant to have featured underneath his administration.
His spectacular performances in La Liga and in European competitors, noticed him earn a powerful 6.92 average rating in La Liga final season and he would subsequently full a €62.5m (£55m) transfer to Barcelona throughout the summer season.
Whereas Lopetegui has Max Kilman and Nathan Collins to select from at Molineux, neither of them are as adept in possession as Harwood-Bellis, as is evidenced by their less-than-impressive stats from FBRef.
Contemplating how very important Kounde was to Lopetegui’s success at Sevilla, he will certainly be eyeing an analogous participant on the again for Wolves after the World Cup break, and Harwood-Bellis might be the best candidate.