Tottenham have agreement in place to seal ‘sensible’ new signing – Exclusive
Mathys Tel was a player hugely in demand when he arrived at Tottenham Hotspur with just minutes of the winter transfer window to spare.
Ange Postecoglou was hoping the young Bayern Munich loanee could channel some of what he has learnt on the training pitch from Harry Kane to inspire a brighter second half of the season in North London.
However, it has not been the case – seldom the fault of Tel himself, for whom Spurs retain an option to buy in the summer for £47.5million – a fee they may try to lower.
Tottenham urged to ‘prioritise’ Tel as teammates let club down
Tel has become an increasingly utilised player by Postecoglou as the season has progressed, and has scored three goals across all competitions since his arrival.
The Frenchman marked his 20th birthday on Sunday (27 April) in forgettable circumstances, as Tottenham were predictably steamrolled by Liverpool in their final quest to become champions.
TV commentator Ian Darke, speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, believes Tel should be a matter of priority over a permanent deal in the summer, given what he has shown in an ailing side at such a young age.
Darke also took the opportunity to criticise Postecoglou’s defence, the style of which has been judged to be the leading cause of letting the Lilywhites down this season.
“Tottenham should prioritise him if that’s an option on his deal rather than an obligation,” he said.
“He’s certainly not getting a look-in at Bayern Munich anytime soon, so at the right price he’s definitely available. Whether they feel there are other options even better than him, I don’t know.
“But he’d be a sensible signing. Too many have let Spurs down this season. They need a ‘thou shalt not pass’ mentality and it has been completely lacking for them. The attacking players compensate for that and haven’t performed as well as they’d have hoped. Tel, though, has a bright future and it would be sensible to keep hold of him.”
Tel desire will also affect Spurs situation in summer
As reported by The Times (25 April), Tottenham Hotspur may seek to lower the agreed optional price to buy Tel this summer.
It could be an approach Bayern immediately rebuff; they could alternatively be open to negotiations with Levy, who has shown his strong hand in such situations many times down the years, for all his flaws.
Tel has looked promising but is unlikely to be the primary answer for Spurs next season – it would be unfair to place that level of expectation upon him.
| Mathys Tel – Tottenham | |
| Appearances | 14 |
| Goals | 3 |
But another key aspect is whether Tel himself would want to remain in North London for the long haul, or return to Bayern and assess his future from Bavaria with his representatives.
As with everything in N17 right now, it is likely to depend on whether Spurs win the Europa League.