- 3 hours ago
Man Utd 'make contact' for prolific Bayern wonderkid
Manchester United have made contact with Bayern Munich for Mathys Tel, according to German media.
Erik ten Hag is keen to bolster his frontline despite Rasmus Hojlund having finally found his shooting boots in the Premier League. The Dane has scored in each of his last five league outings, somewhat alleviating the concerns about Man Utd's attack that were so persistent in the early stages of the campaign.
Nevertheless, the only other senior striker at the club is Anthony Martial, who hasn't played since December and will leave in the summer. Ten Hag has openly admitted that he had wanted a new striker in January, but Financial Fair Play restrictions made a signing impossible. It will be a different story in the summer thanks to the fresh funds from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS.
The Dutch head coach will have money to spend to bolster his side and the first potential targets are already beginning to crystalise. Ivan Toney will be on the market in the next transfer window, as will be Victor Osimhen, though the chances of signing the latter will depend on Champions League qualification and how serious PSG are about making him the successor to Kylian Mbappe.
Tel to Man Utd?
Now, a completely new striker option has appeared on the scene. According to Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany, the Red Devils have initiated contact with Mathys Tel as they are "very interested in signing him in the summer," while two other English clubs also enquired about him in recent weeks.
The Bayern forward was nothing short of prolific in the early stages of the season, seemingly scoring every time he stepped onto the pitch. Since September, however, the hype around the French wonderkid has completely subsided, with the youngster not finding the net and, for a time, not even playing.
Despite this, Plettenberg asserts that Tel has no intention of leaving the club, neither on loan nor permanently, as things stand. Yet, this could quickly change "if he doesn't receive the feeling that Bayern believe in him for the future." This will be a story to keep an eye on.