DONE DEAL / DIRECTOR HAVE SIGNED AN ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ DEAL FOR £10M

Armel Bella-Kotchap, a Southampton loanee, is a “wonderful” addition to PSV Eindhoven, who are thrilled to have met what was once thought to be a “impossible” challenge.

On deadline day, PSV’s technical director would have been excused for thinking of himself as Tom Cruise of Dutch football. ‘Impossible’ mission? Not exactly; the Eredivisie giants pulled off one of the biggest coups of the transfer window by signing a defender who, had things gone another way, would not be making a living at Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, or even Bayern Munich.

Armel Bella-Kotchap, a Southampton player, comes on a season-long loan.

And according to PSV president Earnest Stewart, he did not anticipate one of the best young center backs in Europe to join a squad hoping to end a five-year title drought in Dutch football.

Armel Bella-Kotchap is acquired by PSV from Southampton.
When I awoke on the deadline day, bringing in a defender was the first priority. For us, that was incredibly crucial, Stewart tells PSV TV.

“We’ve had this name (Bella-Kotchap) on our list for a while. However, four weeks prior, we were informed that it was impossible to capture him.

“It was great when he showed up. To move forward, it is nice to have a player of this caliber join the team. This is the cherry on top. He definitely is a plus.

He is physically well-built and adept at slipping past the opponent’s lines. Additionally, he is swift enough to maneuver in the backfield.

Too pricey to be permanent
Bella-Kotchap, who left VFL Bochum for Southampton for a pittance of £SOUTHAMPTON SQUAD

10 million in 2022, joins on loan, but his contract does not contain an option or a requirement to buy.

Stewart claims that PSV just cannot afford the kind of transfer money that Southampton would need in order to permanently sign the German international.

Stewart sighs, “It was obvious from the beginning that this was not realistic by PSV standards. “Not even in a year, can we handle that,”

Pundit explains that what has been said about a Tottenham defender is untrue by saying, “I don’t agree.”