DEFENDER Armel Bella-Kotchap is back at Staplewood for pre-season following his loan spell at Dutch side PSV last season.

The German was not seen among the initial group of players to report for pre-season but was pictured in training on Thursday.

Bella-Kotchap, 22, won the Eredivisie with PSV last season but struggled for regular game time, in part due to injury.

READ MORE: What should Saints do with returning loanees Alcaraz and Bella-Kotchap?

The former VFL Bochum centre-back played just six times for PSV and underwent surgery on his shoulder.

Bella-Kotchap has been linked with a move away from St Mary's this season despite Southampton's return to the Premier League.

Manager Russell Martin spoke highly of the two-time German international prior to his departure for Holland last season.

He told the Daily Echo last August: “Armel just excites you by looking at him because of sheer size and physicality right? I mean that in a football sense.

“When you look at him, he is an imposing guy. When I shook his hand on the first day I thought he was huge. He possesses unbelievable athleticism and physicality.

“I’ve been really pleased with him, the way he has trained has been amazing. If he is here, I will be really excited to work with him because I think he can definitely help us and we can help him."