Armel Bella-Kotchap’s impressive performances for Southampton made Hansi Flick change his plans for this international break and choose a bigger squad to include him.
That’s according to Berliner Zeitung, who cover the defender’s surprise inclusion in Flick’s squad for the international break.
The defender only joined Southampton in the summer transfer window but has been a regular for Ralph Hassenhuttl in the heart of his defence.
He’s impressed and his performances have been noted, particularly by Flick, who elected to make him a surprise inclusion in his squad last week.
They explain that it is still ‘hard to say’ whether the Southampton youngster will be a part of the World Cup squad but he’s certainly in the mix.
That’s because he’s made an impression on the management, having been observed by Flick’s assistant Danny Röhl in England.
Despite some issues around ‘discipline, concentration and punctuality’ at former club Bochum, Southampton are ‘very happy’ with the defender. They’ve shared this opinion with Germany.
There’s also been reports from their Under 21s, with coach Toni di Salvo a big fan and having ‘plenty of good things to report’.
Indeed, such were the strength of the reports, Flick elected to ‘abandon his original plan’ to call up 23 players to his squad and went with a group of 24 instead so he could include Bella-Kotchap.
The Southampton man now has his chance to impress, with positive reports from all corners getting him into this squad and in with a chance of the 26-man group for the World Cup.
