Joy for Super Eagles as pacey winger returns from injury

Nathan Tella is closing in on a return to action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, handing a potential boost to both Bayer 04 Leverkusen and the Nigeria national football team.

The Nigerian winger has been recovering from a foot injury that has kept him out since January, but reports indicate he is now nearing a return to full team training.

According to German outlet Kicker, the 26-year-old forward is making steady progress in his recovery and could soon rejoin Leverkusen’s full training sessions.

Tella has missed seven Bundesliga fixtures during his absence, including matches against Werder Bremen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Mönchengladbach, FC St. Pauli, Union Berlin, and Hamburger SV while recovering.

If his rehabilitation continues smoothly, the winger could be in contention for Leverkusen’s highly anticipated Bundesliga clash against FC Bayern Munich next week.

Tella has endured a frustrating campaign, with injuries interrupting his rhythm and limiting his impact for the German club.

So far this season, he has made just 14 appearances across all competitions, contributing three assists for Leverkusen. His injury struggles also affected his chances at international level.

Although he was initially included in Nigeria’s provisional squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, he was eventually omitted from the final list.

The setback also influenced his role in Leverkusen’s European campaign, as he was left out of the squad for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. Head coach Kasper Hjulmand opted instead to include Martin Terrier, Jonas Hofmann and Tim Oermann.

With only a few months remaining in the season, Tella will be hoping to regain full fitness quickly and rediscover his form as Leverkusen push for qualification for next season’s Champions League.