Southampton in talks to sell ‘monster’ defender, there is a potential stumbling block

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Southampton are rebuilding in the 2025/26 Championship season after their dismal Premier League campaign ended in relegation.

The Saints could yet see Tyler Dibling depart Southampton following the exit of Kamaladeen Sulemana from Southampton to Atalanta.

Will Still must add to his Southampton squad, especially after missing out on Lawrence Shankland to bolster Southampton’s ranks in attack.

Kaine Kesler-Hayden also joined Coventry over Southampton, which highlights the difficulty they have had at retaining players and securing targets thus far.

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Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap has Bundesliga interest

Within Southampton’s incomings and outgoings, their first signing came in the form of Hoffenheim starlet Joshua Quarshie, in a deal worth £3.5 million for the German centre-back.

Unfortunately for Southampton, the club’s summer business has been dominated by departures. Joe Aribo is expected to leave the club as well. 

Further players are expected to find new homes next term, with PSR headroom created via sales but also the need to trim areas of the wage bill where possible as well.

Relegation forces teams into cutting their cloth accordingly, with one other out-of-favour player also in line to depart.

Armel Bella-Kotchap was a 2022 addition from VfL Bochum but injuries and a loan to PSV mean he has taken part in just 31 Southampton games in that time.

That includes five appearances last term, including four in the Premier League. However, there is interest from the Bundesliga in his services.

Recently promoted Hamburger SV are reported to be interested in the 23-year-old German’s services, according to Seb Stafford-Bloor of The Athletic.

The Bundesliga giants are newly promoted for the coming season, and are looking to further reinforce their centre-back options after signing Jordan Torunarigha.

He reports that, while Bella-Kotchap is keen on a return home, his wages remain an obstacle to any deal.

Ralph Hassenhuttl described Bella-Kotchap as a ‘monster’

Once regarded as one of the most promising young defenders in Europe, Bella-Kotchap needs a new home to rebuild his reputation and get his development back on track.

“He’s a monster,” Ralph Hassenhuttl told German publication Bild back in 2022 ahead of Germany’s World Cup campaign.

“He’s very strong in one-on-one situations and he’s very fast. You can defend well with him. He plays good passes into the final third, even over longer distances.”

Hasenhuttl added: “His heading game can be improved. But it was very impressive how he asserted himself in the strongest league in the world.”

It’s a shame to see his demise since those comments were made, but a 23-year-old still has plenty of football ahead of him to right the course of his faltering career.