- Tel wants to leave Bayern, and the club is open to selling him, but Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal are also interested
- Bayern Munich signed Tel from Rennes in 2022 for £23m but are now willing to let him leave permanently
- Chelsea have had a longstanding interest in Tel, and his move to Stamford Bridge could improve Nkunku’s chances of joining Bayern
With just days remaining in the January transfer window, Tottenham Hotspur made a significant move to sign Bayern Munich’s young sensation, Mathys Tel.
The North London club reportedly opened negotiations with Bayern over a permanent £50 million transfer for the French U21 international, intensifying the battle for his signature.
Talks between Spurs and Bayern remained in the early stages, but interest from rival Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal, added further intrigue to the saga. Arsenal had already tested the market by launching a bid for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, which was rejected, potentially pushing them to enter the race for Tel.
Tel featured in Bayern’s 3-1 Champions League win over Slovan Bratislava midweek but made it clear he wanted to leave. Bayern Munich’s sporting director, Max Eberl, confirmed the 19-year-old’s desire to leave, saying,
“He has said he would like to leave. Now we have to think about whether we will do it and what we will do.”
The Bavarian club initially signed Tel from Rennes for around £23 million in 2022, and while they were now open to selling, they wanted the right deal.
Chelsea, who had long admired Tel, had already been planning to approach Bayern even before the player expressed his desire to leave. If the French forward were to move to Stamford Bridge, it could also help accelerate a transfer for Christopher Nkunku to Bayern, with the German club eager to bring in attacking reinforcements.
Manchester United, meanwhile, would have to offload a forward before making their move, but with Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho not close to leaving, a bid from the Red Devils seemed unlikely unless a late departure occurred.
Meanwhile, former Spurs captain Harry Kane, now at Bayern, reportedly gave a glowing review of Tel when asked by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp. Kane described Tel as a hardworking, talented finisher with great potential, though he acknowledged that £50m was a hefty price tag for a 19-year-old.
With Tottenham’s attack already stacked with Heung-Min Son, Dejan Kulusevski, and Dominic Solanke (once fit), Tel might not be a guaranteed starter. However, with his versatility and talent, Spurs seemed willing to bet on his long-term potential.
Bayern star edges closer to Real Madrid move as Alexander-Arnold saga continues
Previously, TheRadar reported that La Liga giants Real Madrid have reportedly reached an agreement on personal terms to sign Alphonso Davies from Bayern Munich, an important move to bolster their left-back position while ongoing rumours swirl around Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold.
As Real Madrid presses forward with their pursuit of Davies, Liverpool finds itself at a crossroads to either succumb to Arnold’s conditions or stand its ground.