Mathys Tel: Bayern laughing all the way to the bank after ripping off Tottenham

Tom Weber

Updated: 4 Feb 2025 13:39 GMT
4 min read

With more and more details of Mathys Tel's move to Tottenham emerging, it is becoming clear that Bayern Munich pulled off a transfer masterstroke.

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The most tedious saga of the January window culminated on Deadline Day. After days and even weeks of indecision, Bayern forward Tel completed his move to Tottenham on an initial loan deal.

Right up until the announcement of the transfer, there was uncertainty. Initially, Tel had wanted to stay at Bayern despite the club reaching a loan agreement with Eintracht Frankfurt early in the window.

However, after failing to get minutes under Vincent Kompany in subsequent matches, he changed his mind and wanted out. Bayern agreed a €60 million permanent transfer with Spurs, but Tel decided that he didn't want to head to North London.

He did, however, agree to a loan move to Man Utd, but the two clubs couldn't find common ground. After fresh talks and a personal phone call with Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham finally did manage to convince the 19-year-old.

Initially, it was supposed to be a straight loan, but with Tel already on the plane to England for his medical, Spurs renegotiated the deal and managed to secure a purchase option.

Tel to Tottenham: A transfer coup - but not for Spurs

English media has presented Tottenham's signing of Tel, and particularly the fact that they secured an option to make it permanent, as a transfer coup.

This is quite bizarre, especially when some pundits, like Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol, have openly admitted that they "hadn't even heard of him a few weeks ago."

There is no denying that Tel is an eminently talented player, but there is a good reason why he barely featured for Bayern. He is still quite raw and his best role is as a No.9.

However, because of Harry Kane, he often had to play out on the wing at Bayern and given that Spurs shelled out €64.3m on Dominic Solanke, he may have to do the same at his new club once the 27-year-old returns from injury.

Tel has all the attributes of a forward who can thrive in the modern game. He is physical and quick but also well-versed technically and clinical in front of the net.

However, this deal is a massive financial gamble by Tottenham. According to BILD, their purchase option stands at a whopping €60m, while they will also cover his full salary and pay a €10m loan fee.

An already-agreed six-year contract awaits Tel should his option be exercised, but Sky Germany reports that the teenager will have the final say on whether or not his transfer becomes permanent.

So even if Tottenham wanted to keep him around, and despite signing a contract, he could simply say pull out and return to Bayern. After all, his desire had always been to stay in Munich and succeed there long-term.

This is brilliant business by Bayern. Tel has never been a regular starter at any point in his still-young career. He was a super sub - in the truest sense of the term - in the early stages of 2023/24 under Thomas Tuchel but he increasingly struggled for minutes as the campaign progressed.

New boss Vincent Kompany did not favour him at all and Tel made just 14 appearances, mostly off the bench, in the first half of this season. He did not score a single goal during his 458 minutes of football.

So, this is a win-win situation for Bayern. Either they turn a €50m profit (loan fee included) on a €20m investment that barely played or they receive €10m and a more refined player when he returns in the summer.

With all due respect to Tel, who is a very promising talent, Daniel Levy has been massively ripped off by Bayern despite usually being such a shrewd businessman.