If Southampton are to be promoted, they will need to upgrade on a number of their current squad.
The good news for Russell Martin is that, should he steer Southampton to an instant return to the Premier League, this will secure the signing of Taylor Harwood-Bellis due to his loan deal including a £20 million obligation to buy contingent on promotion.
It would also greatly improve the club’s chances of signing Flynn Downes permanently, with the holding midfielder a real standout performer this season on loan from West Ham United.
With Harwood-Bellis just 22 and performing so well alongside Poland international Jan Bednarek at the heart of the defence for the majority of the campaign so far, Martin’s recent shoehorning of club captain Jack Stephens into the defence has arguably had a negative impact on results and the structure of the side.
Whilst it is understandable Martin would want to get the player he gave the captain’s armband to into the side, he may be better served sticking to what has worked for the bulk of the season; the skipper absent through injury for most of Saints’ record-breaking 25 game unbeaten streak in all competitions.
If the St Mary’s club secure promotion – and it is a big ‘if’ given they are fourth with ten games to go – an upgrade on Stephens will be required, but Southampton could save a lot of money with a potential reprieve for a player whose career at the club looked to be over.
Could Armel Bella-Kotchap make Southampton return?
Armel Bella-Kotchap is currently on loan at Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven, but has only made four Eredivisie appearances in a campaign blighted by injury.
Southampton spent £10 million to sign the 6 foot 3 German from VFL Bochum in the summer of 2022 and, having initially impressed at the start of that campaign and even earning an international call-up, struggled with injuries as he played 24 league games as the Saints finished bottom.
It is the reoccurrence of the dislocated shoulder injury that Bella-Kotchap sustained at Southampton that has kept the 22-year-old out for much of his time in the Netherlands, which is a real concern for a player so young.
Despite this persisting injury, Bella-Kotchap is still a very highly rated young defender with enormous potential, although no club were willing to trigger the reported £25 million release clause that was activated as a result of Southampton dropping into the Championship last summer.
Given his growing reputation and the fact that this season ends with a home Euros for Bella-Kotchap, he sought a move that matched his ambition and in the end the loan to PSV was deemed best for all parties.
That move was widely considered the end of the France-born centre-back’s time at Southampton. However, given his injury woes, it may be that no club is willing to take a risk on a player who is likely to still be valued at a relatively high price by the Southampton hierarchy.
That may mean that, if Martin does achieve promotion this summer, there may be a reprieve for Bella-Kotchap. It may be tough for the defender to win over the fanbase, but if his mindset is right and he is fully focused on Southampton then a fit Bella-Kotchap will hugely improve the Saints defence.
Bella-Kotchap a huge upgrade on Jack Stephens
Whilst Stephens has been a good servant for Southampton, racking up 170 appearances across his 13 years at the club, Martin should not be counting on the Plymouth Argyle academy graduate as a starter in the top flight.
Whether Bella-Kotchap or Southampton themselves are open to the German being reintegrated into the side is uncertain. Things did not end well for Bella-Kotchap last season, with his injuries meaning he was unable to contribute much towards the club’s bid for Premier League survival and some sections of the fanbase questioning his commitment to the cause. Southampton may also want to cash-in on a player they will feel is a valuable asset.
However, should all parties be interested in a return for Bella-Kotchap it would save the club a lot of money on a new signing and they would know what they are getting rather than an unknown quantity signed from elsewhere.
Ralph Hasenhuttl, the recently appointed Wolfsburg manager who was in charge when Bella-Kotchap arrived at Southampton, spoke on the youngster’s strengths shortly after his Saints sacking in November 2022.
Hasenhuttl said: “He’s a one-on-one monster, 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.”
Current manager, Martin, has not had the luxury of seeing Bella-Kotchap in action in his Southampton side, with injury preventing his involvement in pre-season and the new manager accepting the defender was likely to leave the club.
However, talking about the twice capped German international last summer, Martin’s comments suggested he would be keen to work with Bella-Kotchap should it be an option which may well mean the door on the defender’s future is left open this summer.
Martin said: “Armel just excites you by looking at him because of sheer size and physicality right? I mean that in a football sense.
“When you look at him, he is an imposing guy. When I shook his hand on the first day I thought he was huge. He possesses unbelievable athleticism and physicality.”
With his pace and power, as well as ability on the ball, Bella-Kotchap could prove the perfect partner for either Harwood-Bellis or Bednarek should Southampton be a Premier League club next season.