Blackburn sign another top Premier League prospect on loan

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Blackburn Rovers are to continue their challenge of getting back into the Premier League with Manchester City teenager Taylor Harwood-Bellis among their ranks.

Harwood-Bellis, a centre-back, is the latest in a line of promising top-flight talents to join Blackburn, with Harvey Elliot and Jarrad Branthwaite already plying their trade at Ewood Park.

He has joined up until the end of the season.

Rovers, undefeated in their last four, only added Branthwaite to their ranks midway through January, but he has taken part in each of their last three games, with the Everton man helped them to concede only a single goal in that time.

Elliot, meanwhile, has made a more significant contribution. Aged only 17, the Liverpool-owned winger has four goals and eight assists over the course of the campaign. Over the course of the last two months, he has emerged into a key player.

Harwood-Bellis, therefore, arrives at Blackburn with much to live up to. The England Under-20 international has already featured on eight occasions for Man City’s first team, although he has yet to be given a Premier League debut.

He is Blackburn’s second signing of deadline day, with Rovers having already secured the arrival of left-back Harry Pickering from Crewe Alexandra for an undisclosed fee.

Indeed, Man City were reluctant to allow Harwood-Bellis to depart. Manager Pep Guardiola felt that he was necessary backup amid the potential chaos of the coronavirus pandemic and the uncertainty over Barcelona target Eric Garcia.

The Catalans, though, have failed to produce the money necessary to sign Garcia, and with Luke Mbete reported impressing Man City’s coaching staff, Harwood-Bellis has been allowed to depart for Blackburn, where Tosin Adarabioyo thrived last season.