Stoke City loanee delivers clear verdict on his future

Stoke City defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis has admitted he’s keen to make a first-team breakthrough at parent club Manchester City in the coming years, speaking to the Mirror Online about his future intentions.

The 20-year-old first arrived at the bet365 Stadium during the winter window alongside the likes of Phil Jagielka and Lewis Baker, with the latter impressing in the middle of the park with seven goals in 14 league appearances.

However, Harwood-Bellis has also impressed some supporters with his displays despite the Potters’ decline in recent months, helping to fill the void Harry Souttar left following his anterior cruciate ligament injury last year.

Unfortunately for the Staffordshire outfit, there doesn’t seem to be an option to make this agreement permanent and this means the centre-back is likely to return to the Etihad Stadium at the end of the campaign.

Despite looking as though he will be unable to guide the Potters to a top-six finish, he has made big strides internationally with the youngster looking set to take the armband for England Under-21’s fixture against Andorra this evening.

And although he didn’t put a deadline on making his breakthrough to City’s first team, hoping to follow the footsteps of Phil Foden and others into Pep Guardiola’s thoughts, he did admit he wants his future to be in Manchester.

The 20-year-old said: “I have not put a timescale on (getting to the first team) because anything can happen in football with injuries and how you are playing and lots of scenarios.

“I feel like the way I am progressing and getting games under my belt and experiences, I am on the right track to get where I want to be.

“I watch the lads on the telly and look at the way they are playing and I know they