I was playing Championship football, but 12 months later I could be invincible like my Arsenal hero.

Bayer Leverkusen striker Nathan Tella is living proof of how quickly a footballer's career path can change.

The 24-year-old signed a five-year contract with the German club just days before last summer's transfer deadline.

At the start of the 2022/23 season, Tella secured a season-long loan to Burnley having broken into the first team at parent club Southampton.

Tella would be forgiven for thinking that his superb contributions to Burnley's Championship title campaign would have resulted in increased playing time at St Mary's or a permanent move to the North West.

But none of those options materialized for the Stevenage-born Nigerian international, despite an impressive 19 goals in 45 games for Vincent Kompany's side.

Instead, it was Xabi Alonso who called in hopes of adding the talented forward to his phenomenal young team.

A £20m offer was enough for Saints to part ways, claiming “the offer represented fair value” for their academy star.

Tella has played a pivotal role in Leverkusen's heroics this season, but their success was a by-product of Alonso's man-management as he adapted to life in Germany.

Bayer LeverkusenSimon Rolfes sporting director said of Tella: “Nathan Tella arrived late in the transfer window in August and needed time to adapt.

“He always had the ambition to develop and also to give good energy to the team and towards the team.

“Now he is having many more minutes than at the beginning of the season. This is also a success story for him and the team.”

Tella began his football education at Arsenal's academy and it was there that he found his biggest football influence – the Gunners legend. Thierry Henry.

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“I've always been an Arsenal fan and at the time I looked at Thierry Henry and said he was my biggest inspiration in football,” Tella told the Southern Daily Echo last year.

“He's someone I tried to follow as a model for my game. Of course, at seven years old you can't say you play like anyone, but the things he did in games I tried to do with my local team.

“He was someone I looked up to and wanted to play my game, especially since I moved to the right wing where he played.”

But if Tella regarded his year at Turf Moor as historic, he hadn't seen anything yet.

Fast forward 12 months and Tella is about to emulate Henry's 2004 feat of going undefeated the entire league season.

Leverkusen ended Bayern Munich's domestic dominance by winning its first Bundesliga crown last month, and more greatness awaits this weekend.

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If Tella and his teammates avoid defeat at home to Augsburg on Saturday, they will have secured a historic unbeaten campaign, similar to that of Henry and his 'Invincibles' teammates in 2004.

Leverkusen have surpassed Arsene Wenger's historic team by remaining unbeaten in all competitions this season.

Xabi Alonso's men have already reserved their place for the Europa League final next Wednesday in Dublin against Atalanta from Serie A.

Three days later, Leverkusen will face second-division side Kaiserslautern in the final of the DFB Pokal, Germany's equivalent of the FA Cup.

Tella will have the opportunity to add seven more goals this season as he plays his part in what could be one of the most unique campaigns in European club football.