Nathan Tella has said he hopes to join Southampton FC on a permanent basis.
Olufela Olomola turned down at a pro deal with Arsenal to join Southampton three years ago
An Arsenal youngster has revealed that he hopes to join Southampton and has already spent time at the club on trial.
The Express reports that Nathan Tella told Arsenal’s macthday programme about the development.
The 17-year-old’s scholarship will end in the summer and he has evidently been told that he won’t be offered a professional deal by the Gunners, making him free to search for a new club.
“I will be at Southampton this week and hopefully they like what they see and I can continue to build my career,” said Tella, who recently played for the club’s under-18 side in a 2-0 win over Brighton.
He lined up on the left wing in that game but can also play in central midfield and has spent time on trial at Championship outfits Reading and Norwich recently as well.
Southampton and Arsenal are no strangers to swapping young players with a trio of high-profile graduates of the Saints academy – Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers – all being bought by Arsenal in recent years.
Theo Walcott in his Southampton academy days
However it does sometimes work the other way as Olufela Olomola, who has played for the first team this season, and Harley Willard both chose to swap Arsenal for the south coast.
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