Southampton star could now be 'central to plans' at St Mary's | OneFootball

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GiveMeSport

·6 June 2023

Southampton star could now be 'central to plans' at St Mary's

Article image:Southampton star could now be 'central to plans' at St Mary's

Southampton winger Nathan Tella could be central to their plans next season, talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook has told GIVEMESPORT.

The 23-year-old flourished out on loan this season and could be a useful asset for his parent club.


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Tella started 31 Championship games on loan at Burnley this campaign, scoring 17 goals and providing five assists, as per FBref.

The English winger finished as Burnley's top goalscorer, helping them lift the league title.

Football Insider have recently reported that Burnley are looking to sign Tella on a permanent deal - unsurprising considering the impact he made under Vincent Kompany.

Unfortunately for Tella, his loan club and his parent club have swapped positions, with Burnley gaining promotion to the Premier League and Southampton being relegated to the Championship.

Tella recently spoke about his future at the Saints, and it was difficult for him to give a definitive answer.

He said: "I haven’t really thought about it, I know I’m contracted to Southampton, so I’m looking forward to going back there and doing pre-season. I’m looking forward to seeing my family and friends and going on holiday with them, that’s it. It’s a very good question, but one I don’t have the answer to right now.”

What has Crook said about Tella?

Crook has suggested that Tella could be central to Southampton's plans next season.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "Burnley have had conversations about taking Tella back, Southampton have made it pretty clear they want him to stay. What they've got there is somebody who has proven he can do it in the Championship as recently as this season. I think he could be quite central to Southampton."

What's next for Tella?

A move back to Burnley could be an interesting one for Tella, but you'd imagine Southampton will be desperate to keep hold of him.

After performing so well in the Championship and playing a key role in Burnley's promotion, it will be a huge shame if he isn't able to express himself in England's top flight.

However, if Tella is patient enough, he could have a chance to do so in a few years, with the Saints in a reasonable position to bounce back to the Premier League.

With the financial benefits of being promoted to the Premier League, it will be intriguing to see if Burnley look to test Southampton's resolve with a big offer in the summer.

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