Armel Bella-Kotchap may 'feel like he's moved beyond Southampton now'

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·25 November 2023

Armel Bella-Kotchap may 'feel like he's moved beyond Southampton now'

Highlights

Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap attracted interest from top clubs in Europe after an impressive season with the Saints.
Bella-Kotchap's future at Southampton remains uncertain, and the club might need to gain promotion to convince him to stay long-term.
Journalist Dean Jones has suggested that 'big clubs' who have previously monitored the defender could return.

Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap departed on loan after the Saints were relegated to the Championship, and journalist Dean Jones has discussed with GIVEMESPORT what the future could hold for him, with 'big clubs' showing an interest.

Bella-Kotchap moved to Southampton for a fee of £10m from VfL Bochum last summer. After a season with the then-Premier League side, the German international started to attract interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

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Southampton's relegation tempted Bella-Kotchap to seek a move to a club playing in a top division, but the centre-back is only on a temporary deal, so will be returning to St Mary's Stadium in the summer. What the future holds for the 21-year-old remains to be seen, and the Saints might need to gain promotion back to the Premier League to stand any chance of convincing Bella-Kotchap to commit his long-term future to the club.

Bella-Kotchap had Premier League interest

After an impressive opening campaign with the Saints, Bella-Kotchap caught the attention of top clubs around Europe. The German defender played a key role for the Saints last term despite signing for the club at the age of 20, with Southampton slapping a £30m price tag on his head, according to talkSPORT. The report claims that Aston Villa were one of the clubs considering making a move during the summer transfer window, but a deal failed to materalise. Bella-Kotchap eventually joined PSV Eindhoven on loan, but there were other sides monitoring the centre-back.

Journalist Jones previously told GIVEMESPORT that Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool and Mikel Arteta's Arsenal admired Bella-Kotchap and there was a chance they could make a move in the summer if the price was right. Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth also revealed to GIVEMESPORT that three unnamed Premier League sides were also keeping an eye on his situation.

As per Transfermarkt, the PSV defender has missed the last six games through a shoulder injury, the same issue that kept him out for a spell during his time with Southampton. It's a problem that also occurred whilst with VfL Bochum, so Bella-Kotchap will be hoping he can get over his injury troubles, or the big clubs who have considered a move might be put off.

Considering the sides who have monitored the German international in the past, it would be a shock to see Bella-Kotchap return to St Mary's next summer and not seek a permanent move. Promotion back to the Premier League could change things, but he's having a taste of playing European football with PSV this season.

Dean Jones update

Jones has suggested that Bella-Kotchap might feel like he's now moved beyond Southampton and he got the impression that this will be the case regardless of what league they are plying their trade in. The journalist adds that he's gauging a lot of interest from big clubs around Europe, and those sides are likely to be still interested in securing his signature in the near future. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said...

"I think that Bella-Kotchap might feel like he's moved beyond Southampton now that he's got out of the club. And look, this injury might change things. It depends on how much of a setback it turns out to be for him. But I got the impression before that he was just going to move on from the club and the level that they were playing didn't seem to have too much impact on that. He was gauging a lot of interest from some big clubs and I think that a lot of those teams will still be interested in him. So even beyond this loan at PSV, I think that he will have his eye on what other moves might start to open up for him. Then he will see how he recovers from the injury after that and whether Saints do get a chance to have another look at having him in their squad."

Russell Martin could have a defensive crisis next summer

If Bella-Kotchap seeks a permanent transfer next summer, Russell Martin could be left short in defence. As it stands, the former Swansea City manager has plenty of options at the back, but that could all change at the end of the season.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis has been a key figure in the Southampton side this term, but he's only on loan from Manchester City, and is likely to only stick around if the Saints are promoted. It's a similar story for Mason Holgate - despite not being as influential at St Mary's, he joined the club from Everton on a temporary deal. Signing a centre-back could be a priority for the south coast club next summer.