Southampton prospect Nathan Tella has told the Daily Echo that it’s a ‘dream come true’ to play alongside Theo Walcott, who is on loan from Everton.
The England international – who cost the Toffees £20 million – returned to St Mary’s on loan over the summer.
Speaking about the forward, who he idolised as a kid, Tella said: ‘It’s like a dream come true. At the start, I think it was more like a shock. I had to realise that I am now with the first team, especially with someone I looked up to.
‘The fact that he’s come back here and I’ve just been able to talk to him and learn from him – watching how he is a player and person – it’s just an unbelievable experience.’
The 21-year-old has broken into the first-team under Ralph Hasenhuttl this season, and it’s interesting to hear his thoughts on Walcott.
Tella – who earns £12,500-a-week – speaks about how the ex-Arsenal man gives him advice, and also mentions that it’s a ‘shock’ to be in the on-loan attacker’s presence.
Walcott has certainly injected a bit of life into his career by returning to Southampton, when it looked like he might’ve passed his peak at Goodison Park.
In 85 appearances for the Toffees, the London-born forward only managed to score 11 goals.
Since rejoining the Saints, however, he has a goal and two assists in six Premier League outings – a goal involvement every other game.
Hearing Tella say that he idolised Walcott as a child just sounds odd – it seems like only yesterday that a 17-year-old version of the attacker was called up by Sven-Goran Eriksson for the 2006 World Cup.
We’re getting old!
Nevertheless, it’s good to see him enjoying success on the south coast.
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