Mathys Tel: Who is Tottenham's new signing from Bayern Munich?
2025-02-04
Category: sports

Mathys Tel has been one of the most talked-about names of the transfer window.The 19-year-old France under-21 forward has been linked with various clubs but, despite reportedly turning them down initially, has now joined Tottenham with the London club having the option to make the move permanent in the summer for Â£50m.Manchester United and Chelsea showed an interest in him earlier this window, while Arsenal have also been linked with him this month.Tel was described by then Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic as "one of the biggest talents in Europe" when the Bundesliga giants signed him from Rennes for around Â£23m in 2022.But, two-and-a-half seasons on, and with just nine Bayern starts to his name, he has yet to fulfill that potential.Tel joins a Spurs side who go into Thursday's League Cup semi-final second leg at Anfield with a 1-0 lead, still in the Europa League and FA Cup, but under pressure in the Premier League, sitting 14th.
'A player who can create magic' - what can Spurs expect?
What Tottenham fans can expect is an energetic and sometimes wild attacking player, who is great at tricking defenders with some real moments of skill.His first touch is among his greatest strengths, while his decision-making and defensive awareness leave room for improvement. He can create magic with the ball at his feet but he can also be out of position at inopportune moments.If Tottenham decide to use him as a winger, they might field him mostly on the left side, as the right-footed Tel can drive into the middle of the field from there. He is also keen on sprinting down the wing, but his ball control at a high tempo might not be crisp enough to avoid turnovers against talented full-backs.Postecoglou could be tempted to try Tel as a striker but he would need a sturdier targetman alongside him, so he can pick up rebounds and occupy spaces that open up while his partner keeps the centre-backs busy.It is still hard to tell how high Tel's ceiling really is. When he played regularly last season, his performances were inconsistent, though that was not surprising given his tender age and limited experience at the highest level.Considering the finances that have been discussed in recent days, Tel still has it all to prove.
Tel's unfulfilled potential
Tottenham's technical director Johan Lange travelled to Munich to watch Tel play 62 minutes for Bayern in their Champions League game against Slovan Bratislava last Wednesday. On Friday, it was reported Tel had rejected a move to Spurs after Bayern Munich and Tottenham agreed a Â£50m transfer. He was left out of the squad for the Bundesliga game against Holstein Kiel on Saturday due to the ongoing rumours.As early negotiations between Bayern and Manchester United then broke down and, following a conversation between Tel and Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, the teenager decided he wanted to join Spurs.In his first Bundesliga season, he was eased into senior football, registering five goals from one start and 21 substitute appearances.He then caught fire at the start of his second season, scoring three goals and recording an assist in his first five Bundesliga games - all off the bench.But, he still struggled to break into Bayern's star-studded starting XI. He only made six starts, the first not until March 2024, and three of them coming in the final three games of the campaign with Bayern's title defence already over.This season he has made just two Bundesliga starts and has been left as an unused substitute on nine occasions. He has yet to score in a competitive game this campaign.
Why has Tel left Bayern Munich?
Just last week, Bayern's hierarchy were praising Tel for his potential. "Mathys is an unbelievably sought-after player. That's why the transfer [from Rennes] was the right decision for Bayern," Max Eberl, the club's director of sport, said last Friday. For quite some time neither Bayern nor Tel were willing to part ways, hoping the Frenchman would be able to break through at the club he joined with great hopes from Rennes in 2022.However, his playing time was declining following the managerial change from Thomas Tuchel to Vincent Kompany during the summer. Eberl said in the summer that Tel would feature more this campaign, but he has found himself in the role of a bit player. Kompany never delivered a clear-cut explanation for Tel's limited role."It is just the case that there is always competition at Bayern," Kompany said in December. "There are top players for every position. [Tel] actually does a very, very good job. This is a player we all love."One issue for the undoubtedly-talented Frenchman has been the fact that he is generally viewed as a winger. Bayern possess several top-level wingers with international experience in Michael Olise, Kingsley Coman, Leroy Sane, and Serge Gnabry, making it difficult for Tel to claim a place in Kompany's line-up.At the same time, Tel has been rarely considered for the striker position, despite making a few brief appearances in that role.Even when Harry Kane went down with a thigh injury in the German "Klassiker" between Bayern and Dortmund in late November, Tel did not fill the vacant striker role. Instead, Kompany used veteran Thomas Muller or even Jamal Musiala, a traditional number 10, up front.While his playing time was alarmingly low until December, Tel remained determined to stay at Bayern despite growing interest from Premier League clubs and the German club were reluctant to sell.But, after a late change of mind from both parties, Tel will now hope he gets more regular football in the Premier League.