Mathys Tel ready for Manchester United in new Tottenham transfer bombshell
Mathys Tel may have signed for Tottenham Hotspur on a loan-to-buy deal, but his long-term future could still lie elsewhere.
Tel was the subject of a tussle between the Lilywhites and Manchester United late in the transfer window, with both clubs confident of agreeing a deal to loan him from Bayern Munich for the rest of the season.
Spurs eventually won out after United couldn’t match their offer financially, and the £45.7million option to buy included in Tel’s loan deal paves the way for them to sign the 19-year-old permanently (David Ornstein).
However, that option remains in the balance; set to depend on Tel’s performances in North London, and Christian Falk has implied that he could be heading elsewhere in the Premier League.
Mathys Tel transfer bombshell already at Manchester United
Writing in The Daily Briefing (7 February), Falk reported that while Tel’s move to Manchester United never came to pass – re-opening the door to Spurs – the Frenchman remains keen on a move to Old Trafford.
The Red Devils may have been unable to stump up the money Bayern wanted for their teenage forward, but if they can do so by the time the summer window comes around, Tel would jump at the chance.
Falk said: “Tel was certainly open to the move, but United weren’t prepared to pay the loan fee Bayern Munich were demanding at the time – £4.2million; a huge difference to the offer Tottenham came to the table with.
“Whether Tel stays with Bayern beyond the summer or moves on, it’s entirely up to him. If he can make the step to United, he would like to do it.”
Tottenham transfer to hang in balance amid Mathys Tel decision
With Tel’s future seemingly resting on whatever decision is made by the France youth international – and his agent, most likely – Spurs could face a nervous wait come the end of the season.
Though the Lilywhites will be free to trigger their £45.7m buy option, Falk suggests that even if Bayern agree to sell him to Spurs, Tel could still back out of a move.
If Tel proves to be an instant hit in North London, hitting the ground running and establishing himself in Ange Postecoglou’s frontline, it’s unlikely that he’ll rebuff the chance to continue that momentum.
However, should Manchester United get their finances in order by the summer and submit a bid to match or improve upon Spurs’ option to buy, Tel’s eyes could well be swayed towards Old Trafford.
Tel’s loan is a low-risk, high-reward scenario for Spurs, who can profit from a player not guaranteed to be on the wage bill for long, and despite United’s interest, Postecoglou’s side remain in the driving seat.
Having already sounded out alternative options in attack – including a player well-known to Tel – the Lilywhites won’t be held to ransom by the 19-year-old, but they’ll certainly hope his spell in the capital convinces him that they can provide a better career path than a switch to the north-west.