Nathan Tella of the Super Eagles has expressed his frustration with Bayer Leverkusen due to a lack of playing time.
The Nigerian international transferred from Southampton to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2023 for approximately €23 million. During his debut season, Tella made a significant impact, contributing to the team’s success in winning the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal with 11 goal involvements across 39 matches.
However, he has faced challenges securing playing time this season under manager Xabi Alonso, which has also affected his chances of being called up to the national team.
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Tella revealed that he has had open discussions with Alonso regarding his situation. In an interview with the German daily BILD, he stated, “It’s frustrating, to be honest. But I spoke to the coach. He assured me that I will get opportunities and that I have to be patient.
“When I get a chance, I need to prove myself. I believe I’ve performed well and am training effectively. Now it’s up to the coach to have the confidence to utilize me. He makes the decisions, and they seem to be working well.”
So far this Bundesliga season, Tella has played 224 minutes across all competitions but has only started one of the six games. He also reflected on his time as an Arsenal player, admitting he felt embarrassed about leaving the Gunners.