Armel-Bella-Kotchap-in-action-for-Southampton
Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap needs to see a specialist to learn the extent of the shoulder injury he suffered against Tottenham Hotspur, according to a report from The Daily Echo.
The Lowdown: Injury blow
Bella-Kotchap had to be withdrawn after just seven minutes against Tottenham at the weekend, leading to concern about a fresh injury blow for the centre-back, who has already missed 14 games this season due to shoulder and knee problems.
To make matters worse for Ruben Selles, that was not the only injury suffered by one of his players, with Jan Bednarek also hobbling off in the first half, being replaced by Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who was forced to play in a makeshift role.
As such, the last thing the Southampton boss needs is for the German defender to be ruled out on a long-term basis, however the latest injury news does not appear to be good news…
The Latest: Waiting on a specialist
According to a report from The Daily Echo, the 21-year-old is waiting on a specialist to determine the extent of the shoulder injury, and he has been forced to withdraw from the Germany national squad as a result.
It is not the first time the youngster has encountered issues with his shoulder, opting against surgery after suffering a dislocation last year, in order to be selected for his national side’s World Cup squad.
People close to the Germany international are said to be gutted with the latest injury blow, as they believe he was just getting back to maximum sharpness.
The Verdict: Potential blow for Selles
It is, as yet, unclear how long the 6 foot 3 colossus could be ruled out for, however it cannot be a good sign that a specialist is required to assess the extent of the injury, and it will now be an anxious wait for Saints fans.
Football scout Jacek Kulig has hailed the former Bochum man as having ‘absolutely fantastic defensive skills’, and he has been a vital player for Southampton whenever fully fit, featuring for the full 90 minutes in the five Premier League games prior to Tottenham.
That said, the silver lining for Selles is that the back-up options impressed when called upon at the weekend, with both Mohammed Salisu being hailed as ‘excellent’ by journalist Jacob Tanswell.
Not only that, but as we are now entering an international break, Bella-Kotchap will have an extended amount of time to recover from the issue.
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