‘England boy’ Tella eyes Eagles call-up

Bayer Leverkusen forward Nathan Tella is also eager to receive an invitation to join the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of his teammate Victor Boniface, who made his debut for the national team last month.

Tella, aged 24, was born in England but did not represent England at the youth levels. He has now expressed his aspiration to represent Nigeria at the senior level, highlighting the significant connection he feels to Nigeria despite being a “London boy” throughout his life.

He stated, “I’ve consistently mentioned over the past three or four years that Nigeria holds a special place in my heart – even though I’ve been a ‘London boy’ all my life. If I were given the opportunity to play for Nigeria, I would be extremely delighted and readily accept it. I’ve already informed my parents and friends about my intentions.”

Tella’s teammate at Leverkusen, Victor Boniface, received a second call-up from coach Jose Peseiro for the upcoming friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique, following his debut in a match against Sao Tome last month.

Tella recognizes the significance of earning a call-up, saying, “You don’t just receive a nomination out of nowhere; you have to earn it through hard work. If I have the chance to play, I want to demonstrate my worth here. My goal is to continue developing, contribute to the team and the club, and if an international call-up comes my way, that would be an added bonus.”

While Tella was born in England and initially developed in the Arsenal Academy before joining Southampton in 2020, he gained recognition after a successful loan spell with Burnley last season. During his time at Burnley, he notched up an impressive 19 goals and provided five assists in 45 appearances.

Following this remarkable campaign, Tella secured a €23.3 million transfer to Bayer Leverkusen during the summer and has already made three appearances for the club.

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