Theo Walcott has revealed the advice he gave to a young Southampton talent prior to his departure from the club.
Walcott came through the academy at Southampton and left to sign for Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2006 before making a nostalgic return to the club in 2020, initially on loan before signing permanently a year later.
The 35-year-old retired in the summer following the Saints’ relegation from the Premier League and has been doing media work since hanging up his boots.
The former Arsenal winger was on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club this week and spoke of the advice he gave Nathan Tella before the youngster joined Burnley on loan in summer 2022.
Theo Walcott told Nathan Tella to go to Burnley
When Walcott returned to the south coast as a 31-year-old his role was as much about passing on his experience to a young squad as it was making an impact on the pitch.
Given the fact they both played wide, it is no surprise that Tella leant on the older head when the pair were both at Southampton.
Tella was highly-rated at the Saints but found his career at something of a crossroads in the summer of 2022. At 22-years-old the winger was not a regular starter for the Premier League club and was at danger of seeing his development stall.
Therefore, when then-Championship side Burnley expressed interest in the Nigeria international, he sought the advice of Walcott.
Reflecting on the situation, Walcott said: “I mean, you mention Nathan Tella. I remember when he was at Saints, he came to me and said look, Theo, Vincent Kompany – he’s at Burnley – and we were obviously in the Premier League at the time and he said to me that I am not playing.”
“And I said to him, look, Vincent Kompany, you should go work for him straightaway.”
“Like, just having that sort of younger manager who is going to want good ideas, he is going to be in a team that wants to win promotion, it’s a good place to be instead of being in and out of the team at Southampton, not sure where you are.”
“And look at him right now. He is playing at Bayer Leverkusen, won the league, has done tremendously well. I am a big fan of him. He is a really hard-worker as well.”
Tella thriving since leaving Southampton
Tella took Walcott’s advise and enjoyed a remarkable campaign in which he scored 17 league goals as Burnley won the Championship in style.
Following such a successful season in the second tier, Southampton were keen to hold onto the 24-year-old following their relegation to the same level.
Burnley were also desperate to secure the services of Tella permanently, but were priced out by the Saints’ £20 million asking price.
However, with just days left of the summer transfer window Bayer Leverkusen came from nowhere to secure the singing of Tella, paying the £20 million.
The Stevenage-born wide man has been part of a record-breaking season at the German side, who have won the Bundesliga title for the first time in their history as well as boasting the longest ever unbeaten run in Europe’s top five leagues with 50 games without defeat.
Leverkusen are just three games from going the entire season without losing, with one Bundesliga game remaining as well as a domestic cup final and Europa League final meaning they could finish the season treble-winners.
Tella has more than played his part after a slow start to life in Germany, scoring seven and assisting six in all competitions from a right wing-back role in Xavi Alonso’s system, according to Transfermarkt.
Southampton would have loved to been able to call on Tella this season, but he has seen his career reach all new heights since leaving.