Armando Bella-Kotchap looks set to leave Southampton before the end of the transfer window, after reports emerged from Germany that he has agreed a deal verbally with Borussia Dortmund.
According to insidefutbol.com who are citing Sky Sports Deutschland as their source, Southampton defender Armando Bella-Kotchap has verbally agreed to join Borussia Dortmund and wants the transfer to happen
That is fine but so far there has been no agreement between the two clubs and Borussia Dortmund must now try to come to a deal that both are satisfied with.
The main sticking point seems to be whether the transfer is a permanent one, or if it is a loan.
Dortmund would prefer an initial loan with an option to buy, but Southampton would seemingly prefer a straight transfer.
Saints showed have shown throughout the summer that they are prepared to stand firm on players who want to leave and they won't be browbeaten into selling cheaply, they also perhaps made a point to the player that if Borussia Dortmund or indeed any other interested club want to sign him then they need to meet Saints demands, if not Russell Martin will expect the player to be part of his squad, as was shown on Saturday when he was named on the bench, but was not brought on when another central defender in Jack Stephens went off injured.
Bella-Kotchap has cited that he wants to play at a level that will get him back into the German National squad, however neither Dortmund or for that matter Bayern Munich, also said to be interested, seem to want him as anything other than back up.
With just 48 hours left of the transfer window left at time of writing , Borussia Dortmund need to get round the negotiating table fast and more to the point they need to be talking the same figures as Southampton, otherwise both Dortmund & Armando Bella-Kotchap could well be disappoined come 11pm on Friday