Clubs appear to be accelerating their business now that the European u21 championships are out of the way – there’s still the small matter of the Club World Cup and CONCACAF tournaments taking place in America but that doesn’t seem to be stopping the [summer window](https://www.claretandhugh.info/west-ham-transfer-target-harwood-bellis-bargain-buy/) from bursting into life.
Still unsure, though, are Hammers fans and observers exactly where the club are regarding purchases. Pre-window the narrative was all about ‘selling players to fund the purchases’ and then last week the directors made it known hey’d fund the acquisitions with their own cash of needs be. Well it looks as if that time is nigh as another log-term West Ham target is the subject of a bid – not from London but from Portuguese side Porto.
[_Skysports.com_](https://www.skysports.com/football/live-blog/11095/12476234/transfer-centre-live-football-transfer-news-updates-and-rumours?postid=9806900#liveblog-body) have reported that FC Porto ( whose own club World Cup campaign ended at the group stage after conceding six goals) are after Southampton’s defender Taylor Harwood Bellis: A £19 million bid has been made, and rejected by the Portuguese side as the Saints seek to maximise on their assets having been relegated. West Ham have long been linked with the young English centre-back and will have to get a move on or risk another one of their transfer targets disappearing.
The Saints are reported as wanting nearer £25 million for the young man – they paid £15m a year ago to bring him south from Manchester City. Another instance of the transfer market not waiting for West Ham, whose interest in this player goes right back to the winter. A frustrating state of affairs when Potter and Macaulay have again identified their targets and see them getting picked off.
Perhaps an ‘opponent’ bidding for Harwood-Bells will see the Hammers stung into action.
We can but hope.