'It hurt me' - Hale End product Tella disappointed Granit Xhaka left Arsenal in the summer 

Bayer Leverkusen winger Nathan Tella has admitted that he was disappointed to see Granit Xhaka leave Arsenal in the summer transfer window.

Arsenal decided to part company with Xhaka to make room for the arrival of club record signing Declan Rice, who joined the north London club from West Ham United for a guaranteed fee of £100 million, with £5 million in performance-related add-ons. 

The Switzerland international was on the books of Arsenal for seven years, during which he won the FA Cup and FA Community Shield on two occasions. 

Overall, Xhaka appeared in 297 matches for the Gunners, scoring 23 goals while registering 29 assists. 

Tella, a product of Arsenal's Hale End Academy, still supports the Gunners to this very day and always admired Xhaka, his teammate at Bayer Leverkusen. 

After a banner 2022-2023 season at Burnley that saw him score 19 goals in all competitions, Tella was acquired by Bayer Leverkusen for a fee in the region of 20 million euros in the days leading up to the close of the transfer window. 

"As a fan, it hurt me that Granit left Arsenal in the summer," Tella was quoted as saying by German newspaper Bild.

"I know how much the team needed him. But four weeks later I was suddenly playing with Granit. That went quickly. So mixed feelings.

"On my first day at the club I spoke a lot with Granit. He told me what it was like here and what to expect

"He helped me and assured me that my chance would come. But the other players also supported me a lot - I know that I need patience and that I have to be ready."

The 31-year-old Xhaka was a key member of the Switzerland side that beat a Golden Eaglets squad featuring Kenneth Omeruo in the final of the 2009 Fifa U17 World Cup. 
 

Igho Kingsley 

Photo Credit: bayer04.de

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