FORMER Saint Theo Walcott has revealed he urged Nathan Tella to join Burnley on loan last season.

Tella, 24, enjoyed a super successful campaign at Turf Moor, scoring 17 goals as he helped Vincent Kompany's Clarets regain promotion to the Premier League.

The Nigerian international joined the then Championship outfit after a conversation with Walcott, who explained it would be the best thing for his career.

The winger's time in Lancashire helped kickstart his career, earning him a big-money move to German side Bayer Leverkusen this past summer.

Daily Echo: Nathan Tella won the Championship with Burnley last seasonNathan Tella won the Championship with Burnley last season (Image: PA)

Tella is yet to lose a game with Xabi Alonso's side, who clinched the Bundesliga title as invincibles and could still win the DFB Pokal and Europa League.

Speaking on BBC 5 Live, the now-retired Walcott recalled a conversation he had with Tella while both were still at Southampton.

He said: "I remember Nathan Tella came to me, we were in the Premier League at the time, and he said 'I'm not playing.'

Daily Echo: Nathan Tella started the season playing for Saints in the ChampionshipNathan Tella started the season playing for Saints in the Championship (Image: PA)

"I told him, 'Vincent Kompany, you should go and work with him straight away.'

"Having that young manager who will have good ideas and will want to win promotion, it was a good place to be, instead of staying at Southampton not knowing where he was.

"If you are working with a manager who has been so successful during their playing career, why would you not want to learn from them? 

"Why would you not want to learn from Vincent Kompany? You are going to have so much more enlightenment in football.

"Look at him now, he's gone off to Bayer Leverkusen and nobody would have expected them to win the Bundesliga.

"He has done tremendously well. I am a big fan of him. He is a really hard worker. He took that leap of faith."