PSV Eindhoven consider Southampton defender ‘the icing on the cake’ and it won’t be long before he’s in the first team.
That’s according to journalist Rik Elfrink, who says the centre back is already creating a buzz at the Dutch club after impressing in training.
Bella-Kotchap was a late addition for PSV Eindhoven at the end of the transfer window, joining them on loan late on deadline day.
He had been linked with a move away from Southampton for much of the transfer window as several of their first-team squad departed following relegation to the Championship.
It had appeared he would end up back in Germany with either Borussia Dortmund or Bayern Munich, both of whom were competing for his signature at one point.
That saw Bella-Kotchap scramble to find a move elsewhere and he eventually ended up at PSV, who sealed a deal with Southampton at the end of deadline day.
That’s something the Dutch club were delighted to get done, according to Elfrink, who says the early signs from the defender are positive.
“(He’s) the icing on the cake,” he told the Heet van de Herdgang podcast.
“Last week there was one open training session and I saw the match form: He looked excellent. A physically strong defender and I think he can also defend with a lot of space in the back. It won’t surprise me if he also starts playing quickly.
“But I do think that Peter Bosz will want to quickly switch to his strongest eleven, and in a home match against NEC I think you can try out Bella-Kotchap.”
