Wolverhampton Wanderers have joined the race to sign Manchester City defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis, according to journalist Alan Nixon in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Harwood-Bellis profiled

The Premier League champions previously sent the 20-year-old out on two development loans to Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City and he is now at Burnley, where he has established himself as a rock at the heart of Vincent Kompany’s backline.

The Sky Blues might not yet want the centre-back involved within their first-team plans next season, meaning that another temporary switch could be on the cards, and the Old Gold have been name-checked as potential suitors.

The Latest: Wolves eyeing Harwood-Bellis

According to Nixon (via Football League World) on Sunday morning, Wolves and Leicester are both ‘keeping a close eye’ on Harwood-Bellis ahead of a potential move in 2023.

The report states that Everton are also ‘in the race’ for the defender's services and it's believed that he will want to ‘make the step up to the top flight’, with Fosun seeking to ‘strengthen’ their defence next summer.

The Verdict: Coady successor?

Conor Coady is currently on loan at Everton, who reportedly plan to turn it into a permanent deal, and Harwood-Bellis would be the perfect replacement to take over the reins from the former Molineux captain.

The 6 foot 2 ‘real deal’, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, currently averages 3.4 clearances and 3.2 successful aerial duels per 90 minutes in the league and already has two assists and a goal to his name this term (WhoScored).

Those returns would put him fourth for clearances and first for aerial duels per game among the current Old Gold squad (WhoScored).

Should Julen Lopetegui’s arrival inspire a revival in Wolves’ form, they will likely be seen as a much more attractive prospect for potential transfer targets by next year, so there’s no reason as to why Harwood-Bellis wouldn’t consider a move to the Midlands.