Expected To Leave Southampton Star Now With Fresh Interest | OneFootball

Eddie Keogh/Getty Images

Ligue 1 outfit Nantes are looking to bring in a new centre-back and have their eyes on out-of-favour Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap, but are facing ‘intense’ competition.

The German defender joined Saints from German club Bochum in the summer of 2022 and was rated as one of the country’s best up-and-coming defenders.

He showed promise in his opening season when Southampton were in the Premier League, as he was called up for the Germany senior team in 2022.

Bella-Kotchap registered two Germany senior caps, but the next season, he had a disastrous loan spell at PSV Eindhoven due to a long-term injury.

He has not been able to hit the ground running since and Saints are looking to offload him this summer.

Bella-Kotchap has had interest from several sides, with Udinese having looked at a swoop, while Hamburg have considered taking him back to Germany.

The door is very much open for Bella-Kotchap to leave Southampton before the window slams shut, with the only question seeming to be where he will go.

Now, according to French sports daily L’Equipe, Nantes are keen on the Saints defender but are facing intense competition as well.

It has been suggested that Nantes would want to loan him in with an option to buy, but his contract ends next summer, which does not make it a realistic option for Saints.

If a loan deal is to be agreed, Southampton must extend Bella-Kotchap’s contract before loaning him out, and it does not appear that they plan to do so, while the player may also not want to pen a fresh agreement.

The 23-year-old centre-back was not involved in Southampton’s Championship opener at the weekend when they came from behind to beat Wrexham 2-1 at St Mary’s.

He is also not involved this evening, in the EFL Cup tie at Northampton Town.