By Wale Mustapha
Bayer Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand has provided an update on Nathan Tella’s recovery, confirming that the Nigerian winger is not expected to return to action in the immediate future.
Tella has been sidelined since suffering an injury in September, missing several key fixtures for the Bundesliga leaders.
The Super Eagles forward resumed light training earlier this month, raising hopes of an early comeback, but Hjulmand has now revealed that the 25-year-old is still short of full fitness.
Speaking ahead of Leverkusen’s clash with Bayern Munich this weekend, the Danish coach admitted that the injury proved to be more complicated than initially thought.
“With Nathan Tella, the injury was more difficult and complicated than we first thought,” Hjulmand told Werkself Extra.
“I think he’ll need the international break as well. It’s looking better and better, but I can’t say exactly when he’ll return.”
Hjulmand expressed optimism that Tella could be available after the international break, as the medical team continues to monitor his progress.
Tella joined Leverkusen from Southampton last summer and made a promising start to life in Germany before his injury setback. His absence has been felt in Leverkusen’s attacking depth, though the team has continued to perform strongly in both the Bundesliga and Europa League.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
