Bayer 04 Leverkusen forward Nathan Tella is nearing a return to full team training after spending a lengthy period on the sidelines with injury, according to German outlet Kicker.

The Nigerian international has been sidelined since January after suffering a foot injury, forcing him to miss several matches for Leverkusen. 

Tella was unavailable for seven league games against Werder Bremen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Mönchengladbach, FC St. Pauli, Union Berlin, Mainz 05 and Hamburger SV during his recovery period.

However, the 26-year-old winger is reportedly close to returning to full team training and could be in contention to feature in Leverkusen’s highly anticipated Bundesliga clash against Bayern Munich next week.

Tella has endured a challenging campaign with injuries disrupting his rhythm at Leverkusen.

The forward has managed just 14 appearances across all competitions this season, registering three assists for the German side.

His struggles with injuries and form also affected his international prospects.

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

The injury setback also impacted his role in Leverkusen’s European campaign.

Tella was left out of the club’s squad for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, as coach Kasper Hjulmand opted to make room for Martin Terrier, Jonas Hofmann and Tim Oermann.

With only a few months remaining in the season, Tella will be eager to regain full fitness and rediscover his form as he looks to contribute to Leverkusen’s push to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

Adeyemi Adewale