How Tuchel's Bayern exit affects Man Utd's Tel pursuit

Tom Weber

• Updated: 21 Feb 2024 15:26 GMT
• 4 min read

Thomas Tuchel's Bayern Munich exit will have far-reaching consequences for the transfer market.

As FootballTransfers has explained, the German coach's departure at the end of the season has the potential to ruin several big deals, including Xabi Alonso's move to Liverpool, with the Spaniard now desperately pursued by Bayern's club chiefs.

Man Utd could also be affected by Tuchel's exit. Last week, it was revealed that Erik ten Hag and company had initiated contact with French wonderkid Mathys Tel with a view to potentially signing him in the summer.

Despite Rasmus Hojlund's spectacular form in recent weeks, the Red Devils are still in the market for another striker and Tel has been identified as a potential option, taking pride of place atop Ten Hag's shortlist ahead of the Dutchman's compatriots Brian Brobbey and Joshua Zirkzee.

How Tuchel exit affects Tel

What made Man Utd confident of potentially having a chance of landing Tel was the fact that the youngster is not having an easy time in Bavaria. In red-hot form in the early parts of the season, Tel's goals have dried up in recent months and he has been struggling for minutes under Tuchel lately.

As FootballTransfers exclusively revealed on Tuesday - prior to Bayern's massive announcement - the chances of Tel leaving will decrease if Tuchel departs. The expectation is that a coaching change will hamper a potential transfer of the youngster.

It must be said, though, even before the Tuchel news, it appeared unlikely that Tel would be jumping ship in the summer. The youngster is said to be keen on fighting for his place and there is an argument to be made that his lack of minutes isn't really a Tuchel problem but rather a Harry Kane problem.

Tel's great misfortune is that Bayern annihilated the Bundesliga transfer record in the summer to land the former Tottenham superstar and that Kane has been nothing short of a spectacular success in Munich. Indeed, when Tel has featured, it has occasionally been on the wing because there is simply no way the Frenchman can displace his English counterpart.

Yet, in the early parts of the season at least, Tel showed that he is a starting calibre Bundesliga striker. A new coach will likely find a way of accommodating both Tel and Kane.

Or a more intriguing scenario could be that Kane returns to the Premier League, a distinct possibility as Man Utd are still keen on the veteran striker, as revealed on Tuesday. Either way, it is unlikely that the Red Devils will sign Tel in the summer.