Nathan Tella, the talented 20-year-old who recently made his senior debut for Southampton as a late substitute against Norwich City in the Premier League, has signed with the club until 2023.
Tella joined Saints from Arsenal in 2017, and said after signing that he is determined to make his mark in the first team after impressing at youth level.
“It shows all the hard work I’ve done is paying off,” he said. “I know I’ve got more hard work to do, but obviously I’m really, really happy.
“I’m still young and I’m still eligible to play for the Under-23s, but I’ve got my sights set on being with the first team as much as I can.
“It’s a great feeling to know the club have shown faith in me. I want to do as well as I can and hopefully cement my place in the first team in the future.”
Tella has shown tremendous resilience, coming back from a long-term knee injury that saw him miss most of the Academy season, which was cut short in March due to COVID-19.
Academy director Matt Hale said: “Nathan has really progressed over the last three years since he joined us from Arsenal. We haven’t signed too many players at 18 to come into the Academy, but Nathan’s achievements so far prove that players at this age can still develop and maximise their full potential.
“Nathan went through a tough time last year with a long injury, but with our expert medical team and conditioning staff support along with Nathan’s endeavour, he has rightly earned his opportunity with the first team.
“He is an example to many players who find themselves in adversity. We all look forward to hopefully seeing more first-team opportunities for Nathan before the end of the season.”
