Aston Villa are targeting Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap after his relegation to the Championship, according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook.
Who could Villa sign this summer?
Unai Emery's side enjoyed a rip-roaring finish to the 2022/2023 Premier League season, winning 10 league games and losing just twice since early March.
Their exceptional form in the latter stages saw them finish seventh and qualify for the Europa Conference League, and it's now Villa's task to build upon that and back Emery in the summer transfer market.
According to recent rumours, Villa appear to be targeting central midfield signings, with Fulham's Joao Palhinha, Southampton star James Ward-Prowse and Leicester City's Youri Tielemans linked most recently.
The Villans want to strengthen in defence as well, with Villarreal star Pau Torres, a player who Emery knows well, being repeatedly mentioned by the press.
Arsenal's Kieran Tierney is another player garnering Villa's interest as they look to shore up their back line, with talkSPORT's Crook now saying they're targeting Bella-Kotchap from Southampton too.
Writing for talkSPORT, the journalist says Emery and co are eyeing a move for the German as he pushes for a move away from the south coast. Southampton are apparently bracing themselves for a bidding war over Bella-Kotchap, as clubs in Italy and Germany are in the mix as well.
It will apparently cost interested sides around £30 million to prise the centre-back away from St. Mary's, but little else is said on whether Villa believe this is a price worth paying.
Who is Armel Bella-Kotchap?
The 21-year-old, who has two caps at international level for Germany, arguably stood out as one of the Saints' shining lights last season during their relegation campaign.
As per WhoScored, he finished the season as Southampton's third-best performing player by average match rating – having made their second-highest rate of interceptions per 90 in that time.
Speaking last August, Saints legend Francis Benail raved over Bella-Kotchap's impact on BT Sport (via The Daily Mail).
"He is one of five or six players that have had an instant impact," said Benail.
"What we've been seeing is maturity beyond their years. He takes up great positions and recognizes danger."
Journalist Felix Keith has called the starlet defender "exceptional" for some of his performances last campaign, and for £30m, he'd come to Villa Park with plenty of potential at just 21.
This could be a move worth exploring for Emery.