Armel Bella-Kotchap has exited Southampton again in alternate seasons but he has a Ligue 1 regret welcoming him already before he touches down on the competitive field.
Southampton made their debut in season defeats tally during this gameweek, and two former players also marked their special league firsts in the Premier League. Lesley Ugochukwu began Burnley's afternoon as a first-time mainstay, and Saints fans can relate to it if he prayed for a win and got it thankfully.
On the opposite side of such emotions was Kyle Walker-Peters who gave his first touches to the ball for West Ham. Yet, the 28-year-old had dejection written on his face more than the cheerfulness of a new career beginning.
Well, we could have also talked of a third one in a few hours but his bad luck exceeds beyond the question of wins. That player is Armel Bella-Kotchap, whose overshadowed St. Mary's status met with a quiet transfer reception due to Tyler Dibling's update.
Bella-Kotchap will miss one thing in Ligue 1 regardless of game time
Still, nobody among the Southampton fan sections can forget him whether they are over from the Stoke City error festival or not.
Coming to Fabrizio Romano, he had these words to offer: "Understand Nantes have now agreed deal to sign Armel Bella-Kotchap from Southampton, here we go. Loan with option to buy clause, deal in place."
Switching back to what Armel Bella-Kotchap has to lose here, a matchday, and a Strasbourg one. Because if we forget that the latter is an elite French team, their ex-Saints Sam Amo-Ameyaw, Sekou Mara tell that Bella-Kotchap had this star-making chance.
And let Southampton fans know how much progress is coming from him in a year's span. But with only a couple of evenings before the confirmation, the 23-year-old can be viewed as a comprehensible absence.
The German needs to respond better to this opportunity slip-up, after all, his stay on England's south coast must have better taught him this.