Tottenham timeline on Tel revealed by Dharmesh Sheth as Postecoglou saves deal
Ange Postecoglou was the driving force in reviving the Tottenham signing of Mathys Tel, according to Dharmesh Sheth.
The Sky Sports correspondent (4 February) has issued a timeline of what developed into a transfer saga in the days before Monday’s deadline, as Spurs eventually captured the striker on loan from Bayern Munich.
Tel has agreed to join with an option to buy, where the Frenchman would sign a six-year contract in the summer should the option be triggered.
“On Friday (31 January), Tottenham agreed a permanent deal for Mathys Tel. Daniel Levy reportedly went out to Munich to convince the player, and he couldn’t convince him,” Sheth explained on the Sky Sports Transfer Talk podcast (4 February, 08:33).
“But then the big intervention came from Ange Postecoglou, who called Tel and had a long conversation with him about how he sees him playing, how much football he’s going to get, and he convinced him.
“At the time he thought it would just be a loan deal, but it turns out it comes with an option [to buy].”
Mathys Tel given Ange assurances at Tottenham
Postecoglou has spoken at length with Tel about where he plans to incorporate the 19-year-old into the side.
Tel is a number nine who can also operate out wide or behind the striker, enabling his boss to be able to plug any gaps required by absences of key players.
But it could well be that Tel instantly becomes a first-choice starter – it would be a risky move, but Postecoglou is certainly one man not averse to taking the road less travelled.
Tel is rated highly at Bayern, but if anyone can vouch that not many in world football will get ahead of Harry Kane, it is Spurs supporters.
The fact Levy was unable to convince Tel to become a Tottenham player despite allegedly flying out to Munich, but Postecoglou succeeded over the phone, demonstrates football minds overpower business minds in situations such as these.
Spurs’ newest recruit just wants to play his best football on a regular basis, and has an excellent canvas on which to do it.
In other Tottenham news, a fresh timescale emerges on Destiny Udogie’s injury return.
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