According to the “Hamburger Abendblatt”, HSV’s head of sport Stefan Kuntz is eager to bring his former player Armel Bella-Kotchap back to Germany and the Bundesliga.
Three years after his transfer away from the Bundesliga, Armel Bella-Kotchap might be in for a return to Germany’s highest tier, with HSV being his most likely destination.
The 23-year-old has many suiters in the Bundsliga, but Hamburg’s head of sport Stefan Kuntz has previously worked with Bella-Kotchap in Germany’s youth teams and is eager to bring his former player to the Bundesliga returnee.
After 74 games for Bochum, Bella-Kotchap went to Premier League club Southampton for around €12 million in the summer of 2023. His market value rose to €20 million after him having a good stint in England, but injuries and struggles during his loan spell at PSV Eindhoven brought it back down to now €9 million.
Hamburg were already interested in the centre-back during the winter transfer period last season, but couldn’t afford to bring him in. Their return to the Bundesliga however, has changed that.
Kuntz was already the key to bringing in former Bundesliga (for Hertha BSC Berlin) centre-back Jordan Torunarigha. Bella-Kotchap is now seemingly next on his list.
Bella-Kotchap has already been able to make his debut for Germany just before the 2022 World Cup and has the clear goal of making it back to the national team. A transfer away from Southampton seems like the right next step for the talented centre-back in order to get closer to his goal.
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