NT manager ‘has been on phone’ with Hasenhüttl about new Southampton star – ‘Developed well’

Germany coach Hansi Flick ‘has been on the phone’ with Southampton boss Ralph Hassenhüttl this week to discuss calling up Armel Bella-Kotchap.

That’s according to SportBILD, who report on the 20-year-old defender today after he was the ‘big surprise’ in Germany’s latest squad.

Flick named his group for the upcoming international break today and included Bella-Kotchap, much to the surprise of everyone.

Sport BILD state that ‘hardly anyone expected this’ decision, particularly given the Southampton man has only played nine games for the German U21s so far.

His nomination was unexpected given these games are the last competitive fixtures before the World Cup in Qatar and thus Flick’s last chance to properly test his squad.

It hints the Southampton youngster could be heading to the World Cup and it seems the decision was not made on a whim.

Rather, the newspaper reports that Germany coach Hansi Flick ‘has spoken on the phone’ with Ralph Hassenhüttl regarding the defender in recent days.

That suggests Bella-Kotchap is a player he has been keeping an eye on for a while, particularly this season now he’s a regular in the Premier League with Southampton.

“We want to see him in our circle for once. He has developed well,” he told journalists at a press conference today.

Whether that sees him included in the group for Qatar remains to be seen, but he’s certainly the ‘biggest surprise’ in this group either way.