
The 1.73 metre tall Tella went out on loan at the start of last season from Premier League club Southampton, who were then relegated from England's top flight, to Burnley in the Championship. Under coach Vincent Kompany, Tella played a key role in the Clarets winning the Championship title and gaining promotion before his return to Southampton.
The 24-year-old has signed a contract at Bayer 04 to 30 June 2028 and sporting managing director Simon Rolfes sees the signing as filling another important position in the squad: "We have gained a fast winger who can score, who brings experience with him but also has the potential to develop," said Rolfes. "Nathan gives our attack additional versatility and he will strengthen our team with his pace and quality on the pitch."
For Tella, who scored 19 goals and provided five assists in 45 games for Burnley, the move to Germany is a big step: "Lots of young players from the Premier League have had the chance to play in the Bundesliga and were able to improve significantly here. And I find the stadiums and the whole fan culture exciting," revealed the Englishman, who played three league games for Southampton this season, scoring once and providing one assist.
"Above all, the Leverkusen team is obviously the reason for my decision," said Tella. "They are an impressive team who reached the semi-finals in the Europa League last season. I really want to continue on that road with Bayer 04."

A group of about 50 members of the Bayer 04 Football Academy São Paulo visited Leverkusen over the past few days, accompanied by Bayer 04 club legend Paulo Sergio and Luiz Felipe (managing director of academy in São Paulo) for a week full of football, encounters and very special insights. In addition to the Bundesliga away game in Elversberg and the home game against Union Berlin, the visit also featured a joint training session with the Bayer 04 Football Academy in Leverkusen and a tour of the Bayer AG facilities. The guests also gained special insights into the club and the world of Bayer 04.
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The men's clothing retailer LERROS will remain the official fashion and premium partner of Bayer 04 for the current season. As in the past, LERROS will provide the club's men's team, coaching staff and management with high-quality clothing for international trips.
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“Diaby! Diaby! Diaby!” was the cry around the BayArena as the Werkself danced in front of the north stand following their 4-0 win over Union Berlin. Captain Edmond Tapsoba gave his new (and old) teammate a friendly shove forward to take in the acclaim from the fans. The returning Frenchman was typically reserved in thanking the supporters but was clearly emotional about what was happening.
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Werkself TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 4-0 win against Union Berlin on Matchday 2 of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season...
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Bayer 04 have been handed a home tie in the second round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal after being paired with Nürnberg in Saturday evening’s draw at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. Games will be played on 27/28 October, with the German FA to confirm kick-off times in due course.
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