Mathys Tel is apparently considering leaving Tottenham again—on loan. But Spurs can hardly afford to let him go.
Tottenham Hotspur invested €35 million in the summer to sign Mathys Tel from FC Bayern on a permanent basis after a six-month loan. Because they had previously allowed the deadline for the €50 million release clause to pass, they seemed to have made a good deal—but one that is now raising a few questions. Media reports in France and England are piling up, claiming that Tel wants to leave Spurs again just six months later.
The Guardian reports that the 20-year-old winger has informed the club’s management that he is seeking a loan move. He wants to do this in order to maintain his chances of playing in the World Cup. In London, he is still struggling for playing time – a situation that had already prompted him to leave Bayern.
Coach Thomas Frank, who took over three days before Tel’s permanent signing, mostly uses the Frenchman as a substitute, despite his team’s ongoing offensive slump, and often not at all. In 465 minutes of play, spread over 14 appearances, he scored three goals despite an xGoal value of only 0.57; most recently five days ago in the 2-3 defeat at Bournemouth, when he started for the fifth time and played the full game for the first time.
That doesn’t seem to be enough for Tel – or for many Spurs fans, for that matter – because he senses that it’s not enough for France’s national coach Didier Deschamps, from whom he has yet to receive a call-up. FC Paris and Galatasaray are already potential suitors for Tel, whose situation is complicated not only because of his playing time: Spurs cannot really afford to let him go.
This is because, with Brennan Johnson sold to Crystal Palace, they already have one less attacking option, and Mohammed Kudus is expected to be out until April. The 14th-placed Premier League side and 11th-placed Champions League team needs reinforcements in attack, not further departures. Nevertheless, Frank’s confidence in Tel seems limited and, at best, slow to build.
Tel has only been allowed to play in the Champions League since December
The most obvious indication: the new head coach did not nominate the Frenchman for the Champions League group stage. It was only when striker Dominic Solanke was injured that he unexpectedly moved up in December and has since made one substitute appearance. Tel would also like to play much more often in this competition.
If Spurs refuse to loan Tel out, which seems likely, he still has a glimmer of hope to improve his situation in London in the short term: the departure of Frank, who was already on shaky ground before Saturday’s FA Cup exit against Aston Villa. At the moment, however, it looks as if both Frank and Tel will still be in London at the beginning of February.
