The 18-year-old central defender put pen to paper on a new deal today that will extend his stay at the Club through to 2024.
One of the most highly regarded players to have emerged from our Academy over the past few years, Harwood-Bellis has already made six first-team appearances since making his City debut in September 2019.
However, the teenager says with his professional and physical development still continuing, there is a lot more to come from him in terms of his growth and potential.
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“Going forward, I think there is so much more to improve as there will be for the rest of my career,” Harwood-Bellis insisted.
“Definitely physically, I’ve got so much more growing to do and a lot of filling out from being an 18-year-old into a man, but that will come in time and by doing extra in the gym, as we all do.
“There’s much more improving to do, so I can be the player I wanted to be when I was younger.”
Harwood-Bellis, along with fellow Academy graduates Tommy Doyle and Cole Palmer, have all made their first team debuts over the past year and made a big impression within our first team environment.
And the 18-year-old believes the guiding philosophy and structure within our Academy has helped serve as the perfect launchpad for his own progression onto the senior stage.
“The Academy has been such a help with the way they treat you and make you the person you are,” Harwood-Bellis added.
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“They have really helped me in terms of being ready (for the first team environment). The football we play doesn’t really change from Academy to first team though there are little bits that are different tactically.
“I knew I was technically good enough... after that it was about getting up to speed physically and mentally.
“The Academy has helped so much in my progression through to the first team.”
Harwood-Bellis also believes that his progression along with that of Doyle and Palmer will only help serve as the ideal incentive for the rest of the Academy youngsters.
And he says he is happy to be a flag bearer in terms of inspiring more of his young City colleagues to try to make their own case for inclusion at first team level.
“The other guys within the EDS and Under 18s - and even the younger ones - they see us around the Academy building and now they see us with the first team so they know it is possible and that the opportunity is there,” Taylor added.
“It’s then up to you to take the opportunity, and when you get there it’s about trying to stay there and not taking it for granted.”
