A Premier League club has reportedly struck a deal to sign Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel during the January transfer window.
Earlier this month, Tel informed Bayern of his desire to leave the club in search of more first-team opportunities. ..Continue Reading
The 19-year-old Frenchman has only made eight Bundesliga appearances this season under manager Vincent Kompany.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United, and Aston Villa were all linked with an interest in Tel, especially after it became likely that Jhon Duran would depart Villa Park for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.
Now, according to Loic Tanzi of L’Equipe, Tottenham has surged ahead in the race to sign Tel, having reached an agreement with Bayern over the transfer.
Reportedly, Spurs have agreed to a €60 million fee with Bayern to secure Tel on a permanent basis this month. However, the forward has yet to make a final decision regarding his future.
The interest of another Premier League club willing to bid for Tel may hinder Manchester United’s plans, as David Ornstein of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the Red Devils would pursue Tel only if he were available for a loan move.
Sky Sports has since reported that Tottenham has been in negotiations with Bayern since Thursday morning, culminating in a ‘verbal agreement’ between the two clubs.
Following Bayern’s 3-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League, Tel was non-committal about his future when questioned by reporters if he had played his last game for the club, simply responding: “I don’t know.”
Interestingly, Tel’s childhood hero is Arsenal legend and fellow Frenchman Thierry Henry. Last summer, Tel nearly had the chance to play under Henry for the France Olympic team, but Bayern withdrew him from selection, despite an agreement with the France Football Federation allowing him to participate, according to Henry.
