Aston Villa’s new £25million signing Taylor Harwood-Bellis has been left out of Unai Emery’s Champions League squad, just two days after expressing his ‘excitement’ at the prospect of playing in Europe’s elite competition.
The 24-year-old centre-half joined Villa from Southampton on transfer deadline day, brought in to strengthen Emery’s defensive options following Ezri Konsa’s £55m move to Premier League champions Arsenal.
Harwood-Bellis, who tied the knot with Roy Keane’s daughter Leah earlier this summer, admitted he ‘can’t wait’ to play in the Champions League during his first interview with his new club on Tuesday.
But his Champions League hopes were dealt a surprise blow just two days later, when Emery left him out of Villa’s 25-man squad for the competition.
Harwood-Bellis said in a club video posted to X on Tuesday: ‘I think when I knew first of all the club in general being such a prestigious Premier League club and then you have the added bonus of the Champions League is something that doesn’t fill me with anything but excitement.
‘I can’t wait to get out there and show that I can hopefully do it on the biggest stage. We’ve seen the success the club’s had in Europe, winning the Europa League and going so far in the Champions League, giving PSG probably their hardest game that season was massive.
New signing Taylor Harwood-Bellis has been left out of Aston Villa’s Champions League squad
Harwood-Bellis tied the knot with Roy Keane’s daughter Leah this summer (proposal pictured)
‘So yeah, I know that the club can relish in Europe and hopefully go a step further.’
Harwood-Bellis and Modou Keba Cisse are the only two newly-signed players not included in the Champions League group, with Zion Suzuki, Matteo Ruggeri, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Leon Goretzka, Joao Gomes, Johan Manzambi, Nicolas Jackson, Alejandro Garnacho and Ibrahim Mbaye all selected as part of Emery’s group.
Aston Villa also omitted teenage forward Brian Madjo, who scored in their Super Cup victory over Paris Saint-Germain last month.
While Harwood-Bellis is ineligible for Villa’s league-phase campaign, which begins away to Club Brugge next Tuesday, he could still be added to the squad for the knockout stages if Emery’s side progress.
Clubs who qualify for the knockouts are allowed to register a maximum of three additional players.
Aston Villa’s Champions League squad in full: Zion Suzuki, Marco Bizot, Matteo Ruggeri, Victor Lindelof, Pau Torres, Boubacar Kamara, Joao Gomes, Leon Goretzka, John McGinn, Alysson, Ibrahim Mbaye, Emi Buendia, Johan Manzambi, Nciolas Jackson, Matty Cash, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Ian Maatsen, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrone Mings, Ross Barkley, Tammy Abraham, James Wright, Lamare Bogarde
