When Nathan Tella’s loan with Burnley came to an end in May 2023, he had no idea what awaited him next. After netting 17 goals to help Vincent Kompany’s team clinch the Championship title with over 100 points, Tella was anticipating a return to Southampton, his parent club, which had just faced relegation, or a chance to rejoin Burnley in the Premier League.
“Well, definitely not abroad; that was my main thought,” Tella reflects on where he envisioned himself last summer. “But then Bayer Leverkusen reached out near the end of the transfer window. I remember telling my dad about it: ‘Do you think I should go for this?’ He replied, ‘I think this could be the perfect next step for you in your career.’ I have a wonderful relationship with my dad—almost like having a second agent.”
It turns out his father’s intuition was spot on. A year later, Tella proudly wears an NBA-inspired ring featuring his shirt number, 19, after Dutch defender Jeremie Frimpong gifted each Leverkusen player one to commemorate their Bundesliga triumph. In a spectacular season, Tella scored five goals while Xabi Alonso’s team became the first in German top-flight history to finish a league campaign undefeated.
They secured the double by winning the German Cup just days after experiencing their first defeat in 51 matches against Atalanta in the Europa League final. “Experiencing that loss in the final was tough for all of us,” Tella admits. “However, as a team, we felt individually that winning another final would be the best way to make up for it. We all had the internal motivation to avoid being upset twice in one week.”
Tella’s Bundesliga winner’s medal now rests back home in Stevenage. He recently departed for Leverkusen’s pre-season training camp in the scenic Black Forest town of Donaueschingen, which also served as Spain’s base during Euro 2024. “I didn’t want to bring the medal back to Germany – it felt a bit like showing off,” he explains. “But I do have a photograph of it on my phone that I look at every day. There’s one of me wearing both of my winner’s medals with my family and the Bundesliga trophy.”
As part of their preparations for a Champions League campaign, Leverkusen will face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening. Tella, who spent 10 years in the club’s academy before being released, later joined Southampton and was in the same youth team as Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson. He speaks highly of the support he received from the coaches after the difficult news of his departure.
“They conveyed it as a tough decision but believed it was for the best; even if I had stayed, they couldn’t provide the game time I would need, potentially leading to frustration,” Tella recalls. “They were always transparent with me, and whenever I went on trials, they were quick to check in and ask: ‘How’s it going? Is there anything you need?’ I never felt cast aside once they informed me I was released.
“In my younger days, I wrestled with my confidence, but that has improved with age. Some of the coaches still remember me as that quiet kid at Arsenal who barely spoke, in contrast to now being a Bundesliga and Pokal champion.”
Tella is certain that learning from Alonso—who was pursued by several top clubs in Europe but chose to stay at Leverkusen—has fundamentally changed his perspective on the game. “He always reassured me that he wouldn’t have signed me if he didn’t believe I could contribute to the team,” he notes. “Even when watching other matches, I’m envisioning myself against the opponents and contemplating how we might organize ourselves. We work to exploit their weaknesses and neutralize their strengths.”
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“Even during the Euros, I had my football mindset on, thinking about how we would play against certain teams. He’s undoubtedly contributed significantly to my game intelligence. Given our success last year, it’s no surprise he became the talk of the town. He’s an exceptional young manager, and the sky’s the limit for him.”
In November, securing his first senior cap for Nigeria was an additional testament to Tella’s patience and courage in pursuing a new adventure abroad, although he confesses that adapting to life in Germany was initially challenging. “At first, I felt almost like a child; everyone was taking care of everything for me, directing me where to go, and communicating for me since I didn’t speak the language. My German is improving; day by day I can express more and understand better. I’m getting accustomed to bank holidays and store hours.
“The fantastic aspect of this club is its diversity. We have players who speak Spanish, German, and English, and we communicate effectively. Our locker room is incredibly international, yet we maintain strong bonds with one another.”
