Bayer Leverkusen forward, Nathan Tella, has been handed a debut call-up to the Super Eagles squad ahead of the 2026 qualifying games against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

The 24-year-old was named in the team released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Thursday night after featuring four times so far this season for the German side, which sits at the top of the Bundesliga table.

Tella was born in England to parents of Nigerian descent. He joined Arsenal Academy at a young age; after a decade at the club, he joined Southampton in 2017.

In an earlier interview, Tella expressed his desire to play for the Super Eagles at the AFCON.

“I’ve always said for the last three or four years that Nigeria is a big part of my life, even though I’ve been an ‘England boy’ from London all my life.

“If I got the chance to play for Nigeria, I would be more than happy and accept it. I’ve already told my parents and friends that I would do that.

“You’re not just nominated like that. You have to work for it and earn it. I want to prove myself here if I get the chance to play. I want to develop further, help the team and the club – if a call comes for an international call-up, that would be a bonus.”

He joined Burley on loan at the start of the 2022-2 season, scoring 19 goals in 45 games. In the summer, Tella joined Xabi Alonso’s side for a reported fee of £20 million.

Vanguard News