Bayern Munich join race for in demand Southampton man, says Sky Sports reporter
Southampton’s Armel Bella-Kotchap is on Bayern Munich’s list of potential summer targets, says Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, with Borussia Dortmund also considering a loan swoop for the Saints man.
Bella-Kotchap, 21, joined Southampton from VfL Bochum last summer. He signed a four-year deal with the Saints paying a reported fee of just £10million for the youngster, who went on to play 24 times in the Premier League last season.
He impressed, and he’s been in transfer headlines throughout this summer. But the latest comes from Sky Sports reporter Plettenberg who has revealed on Twitter that the Saints centre-back is on Bayern Munich’s transfer radar ahead of the September 1st deadline.
German rivals Dortmund are also keen, though they’re looking into a potential loan move for the Southampton man.
It is not often that you hear the name of German giants Bayern Munich in connection with Southampton FC, but this is one of those occasions, as the Bavarian based club are considering signing a player from St Mary’s.
❗️🆕 Armel Bella-Kotchap is on the list of #FCBayern! Bosses have inquired about the 21 y/o German national as he’s a versatile defender. Internal discussions took place.
➡️ ABK has not yet a total verbal agreement with #BVB; Dortmund is considering a loan move. @SkySportDE… pic.twitter.com/PEki6m2f6j
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) August 22, 2023
According to insidefutbol.com Bayern Munich have been talking to Saints about bringing Armel Bella-Kotchap to the Allianz Arena.
Bella- Kotchap has been linked with another German club in Borussia Dortmund, but the hitch there has been where the central defender would fit in, as Dortmund are already well served in that position.
Perhaps because of that, Dortmund are not looking to sign the player on a permanent deal, but only on loan, in this case truly a try before you buy situation, this means that not only have Dortmund failed to agree a deal with Saints, but also failed with the player himself, who perhaps feels that he is going there to fill a gap in the squad and not as a first choice regular.
Bayern Munich have been monitoring the situation and with the deal stalling with Dortmund, are said to have contacted Southampton about what any potential deal, loan or otherwise would entail.
Bella-Kotchap himself would perhaps feel that in many respects his chance of regular first team football would be even less at Bayern Munich than it would be at Dortmund, but there would be a chance of far more games given that Bayern usually progress to the latter stages of most competitions they enter, indeed they have won the Bundesliga for the last 11 seasons and their domination goes back to 1998/1999 season, in the 24 seasons played since then up to now, they have only failed to win it on 5 occasions, the last being in 2014 and we say the Scottish Premier League is uncompetitive.
Southampton would prefer a permanent deal for Bella-Kotchap, but it seems that there is little interest in him from top sides in England, given his patchy season at St Mary’s and in Germany he won’t command the salary that he enjoys at Southampton.
So it looks like a loan deal is the best prospect of getting him off the books, if he stayed and got his head down at St Mary’s he could yet play a part in this season, but given his absence from the first team squad this season, it would suggest that whilst not exactly refusing to play, that he has made it quite clear that he does not want to.
Bella-Kotchap is an undoubted talent and could well be destined to great things in the game, but Saints fans would question his commitment when things are not going his way.