German club VfL Bochum will be keeping a close eye on Southampton defender Armel Bella Kotchap this summer, with them set to pocket millions if he departs.
That’s according to WAZ in Germany, who provide details on the Southampton man today and how his former club could benefit if he leaves this summer.
The newspaper explains that Bochum received a ‘record transfer fee’ for the defender last summer when he left for Southampton, a deal they were more than happy with.
According to their information that was worth around €12m in various instalments but it also included a percentage of any profit Southampton earn in a future sale.
That means Bochum could collect more money again this summer, with Southampton relegated and Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig reportedly interested in him. The latter could even target him as a replacement for Josko Gvardiol should he depart.
That would suit Bochum, who, as part of the agreement to sell him to Southampton, ‘would share in the transfer fee’ that the Saints receive.
Details of that are not known exactly but WAZ’s information is that Bochum are due ‘around 15%’ of any profit Southampton make on the original €12m. For example, if Bella Kotchap were sold for €20m, the German side would receive around €1.2m.
It’s a hypothetical at this moment in time and very much dependent on Bella Kotchap leaving St Mary’s, but with interest in him, and the Saints now relegated, it’s something to keep an eye on nonetheless.
