Nigerian international Nathan Tella has recounted his disappointing spell with Arsenal ahead of Bayer Leverkusen's friendly game against the Gunners later today, Wednesday, August 7.

The 24-year-old spent 10 years at Arsenal's youth team before he was released in 2017 after the club denied him a new contract.

Tella went on trials at Reading and Norwich City, where he was rejected after failing to impress. He later got an opportunity at Southampton where he excelled leading to his loan move to Burnley.

Following a successful loan spell, Bayer Leverkusen signed him last summer in a deal worth £20 million.

Although not a regular for the German champions, he played a crucial role in the
club’s Bundesliga and DFB Pokal success last term.

Speaking ahead of his return to the Emirates Stadium, the one-cap Super Eagles stated that leaving Arsenal made a better player.

“That was a really difficult time for me because at 17 years old, Arsenal was all I’d ever known. I’d been at the club since I was seven and all of my friends were there too, we’d grown up together and we all shared that dream of playing for Arsenal one day. But when my time at Arsenal came to an end, I knew I had to step things up and make a name for myself elsewhere”, he was quoted as saying on the official website of Arsenal.

“I told my family that I want to prove people wrong, and I don’t want it to be a case of ‘oh, he’s not made it at Arsenal, so he’s not going to have a career.’ I’ve always said and believed that I could be a professional footballer. I wanted to play in the Premier League, and I wanted to play against the best teams in the world. I went on a few trials and thankfully Southampton gave me the chance that I needed, but that didn’t make me relax. It made me want to work harder than ever before.

“You can’t let a ‘negative’ moment like that shape you or determine how your career is going to be. Use it as fuel to prove people wrong and make the best for yourself. Don’t take it as you not being good enough, try to reframe it and tell yourself that it might not be the right time for you. Remain positive and tell yourself that it might be a blessing in disguise and a challenge to become the best version of yourself.

“I could have allowed that moment to bring me down, but now I’m coming back to Emirates Stadium as a champion of Germany. Playing on this pitch was always my childhood dream. It’s crazy to think about really. Whatever happens in my career, I’ll always remember that”, he rounded up saying.