By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian winger Nathan Tella has revealed he is equally comfortable playing on either wing for Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Tella, 24, will begin the new season under the management of Dutch coach Erik ten Hag, who replaces Xabi Alonso following the latter’s departure at the end of the 2024–25 season.
With questions emerging over how Tella will fit into ten Hag’s tactical plans, the Super Eagles forward has expressed confidence in his ability to adapt on either flank.
“I said a year ago that I’ve always enjoyed playing as an attacking player,” Tella said in an interview with Werkself Xtra. “Of course, I play wherever the coach puts me and I help the team as best I can. But I know that I can do better as an attacker.”
Tella emphasized the value of versatility in his game: “We have big ambitions, and I hope I get the chance to prove myself as a winger. To do that, I have to give my all in training, and I will. What might give me an advantage is that I can play on both wings.”
The former Southampton player joined Leverkusen in 2023. Last season, he featured in 24 Bundesliga matches, scoring two goals and providing four assists, contributing to Leverkusen’s unbeaten league campaign.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
