According to Bild, Armel Bella-Kotchap is now available for just €10m (£8m), following links to Crystal Palace and Tottenham.
What’s the story?
Well, it was The Athletic who revealed that Crystal Palace were considering a move for the 20-year-old in July 2020.
Elsewhere, it was The Sun who claimed that Bella-Kotchap was attracting admiring glances from Tottenham.
Now, the Premier League duo could reignite their interest after Bild provided an update on his situation.
The German news outlet believe VfL Bochum would allow their No.37 to leave for just £8m this summer.
Crucially, an exit is now likelier than it was a few years ago, as Bella-Kotchap is eligible for a work permit due to his appearances in the Bundesliga.
Crystal Palace and Tottenham should be all over this
In our view, you aren’t going to find many better defensive prospects across Europe for just £8m.
Bella-Kotchap has the potential to become a star, and he’s already gaining vital experience against some of the best forwards on the planet, such as Robert Lewandowski.
The Paris-born defender has made 17 Bundesliga appearances this season, and recently shone as he helped VfL Bochum to a 4-2 win over Bayern Munich, playing 90 minutes.
Bella-Kotchap also has six caps for the Germany Under-21 side.
Patrick Vieira has already signed a number of Under-23 gems, and this would be a wise move with James Tomkins and Martin Kelly getting on a bit.
In Tottenham’s case, Antonio Conte is also lacking quality options at centre-back to provide depth for Cristian Romero, Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez.
Keep an eye on this saga – for just £8m, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Eagles and Spurs make an offer.
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