Bayer Leverkusen forward, Nathan Tella, has opened up on his experience as an Arsenal player.
The former Arsenal youth player left the Gunners in 2016 after failing to break into the first-team at the Emirates.
The Super Eagles star started his football career with the 13-time Premier League winners, progressing through the development systems of Arsenal before making the U-18 squad.
However, he left the Emirates after being released by the club and joined Southampton FC following a successful trial.
![2 teams that supported Boniface and Tella's Bayer Leverkusen after painful Ademola Lookman show](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/26052024/d5d5dc17-7b26-4f92-b5a5-839fd761b910.jpg?operations=fit(180:))
07:04 - 26.05.2024
2 teams that supported Boniface and Tella's Bayer Leverkusen after painful Ademola Lookman show
Bayer Leverkusen and their Nigerian duo Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella completed an invincible domestic season after winning the DFB-Pokal final.
![Boniface, Tella put Europa League heartbreak aside to complete domestic double with Leverkusen](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/25052024/c29b3bf8-8655-44aa-b68e-4b6b26292ba2.jpg?operations=fit(180:))
21:51 - 25.05.2024
Boniface, Tella put Europa League heartbreak aside to complete domestic double with Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen and their Nigerian stars Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella have emerged champions of the DFB-Pokal to complete a domestic double.
Tella on his Arsenal career
Tella admitted that he was embarrassed about leaving Arsenal and that he had trouble telling his friends and family the news.
According to talkSPORT, Tella said, “For me, it was a bit of an embarrassment because I didn’t know how I was going to tell all my friends and family that I was leaving Arsenal.
![Nathan Tella in action for Bayer Leverkusen || Imago](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/29022024/b64ea421-8e7c-4aa5-857f-a1705f21bb18.jpg?operations=fit(480:))
“It was tough because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Maybe stay at Arsenal, try to force their hand and make another decision, or if I was to go out on trials.
“I spoke to my family, I spoke to my agent, they said it’s best to go on trials to see what I can do and get out of my comfort zone,”
Tella continued, “I had trials at Reading, Norwich, then ultimately Southampton, and it’s good now, I’m really enjoying it.”
![Nathan Tella at Arsenal || Imago](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/27072024/52436809-0e24-4043-911c-a4f0e289959b.jpg?operations=fit(480:))
Tella was loaned to Burnley while at Southampton, where he was managed by Vincent Kompany and made a big contribution.
The forward then made a permanent move from Southampton to Bayer Leverkusen in 2023 where he has been instrumental.