Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United are all interested in a deal to sign Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich in the January transfer window.
Tel dropped a transfer bombshell on Tuesday – deciding that he wishes to leave Bayern this month – which has seen Arsenal and United join Chelsea in a dramatic late race to land his signature.
The French teenager, who is reported to have turned down the Blues, has already drawn comparisons to Kylian Mbappe, registering 16 goals and seven assists across 82 games for Bayern to date.
With a move to the Premier League looking likely, here’s everything you need to know about the impressive 19-year-old star…
Mathys Tel can play in a number of attacking positions
Tel’s versatility in attack makes him particularly desirable for the Premier League’s elite clubs, with the youngster able to adapt depending on the tactical needs of the team.
He mainly operates as left winger, but is happy to play on the right side and can also also be deployed in the centre-forward position.
‘I’m somewhere between a number nine and a left winger,’ Tel told the Bundesliga website in a 2023 interview. ‘I can also play on the right, but I’m more comfortable as a striker and on the left.’
Tel’s adaptability means he can play as a ‘false winger’ – working as a traditional wideman and drifting in centrally to operate as a second striker.
This is likely how Chelsea would look to use Tel under their head coach Enzo Maresca if they were to beat Arsenal and United in the transfer race.
Mathys Tel has already been compared to Kylian Mbappe
Tel has already been compared to French World Cup winner Mbappe by some outlets, with both players having had similar early career paths.
Mbappe and Tel were the subject of much discussion and hype before their 17th birthdays and their style of play is also notably similar.
The two compatriots are both known for their pace, dribbling skills, finishing ability and attacking versatility.
They are at their best when cutting in from the wing and Tel was dubbed a ‘mini-Mbappe’ by fans when he first moved over to Bayern three years ago.
Mathys Tel’s rise to becoming one of Europe’s most exciting teenagers
Tel played for a number of French sides in his youth career including JS Villiers-le-Bel, Paris FC, AS Jeunesse Aubervilliers and Montrouge FC 92.
He eventually joined Rennes’ academy in 2020 – and after featuring for their B team – he made his debut a year later, becoming the youngest player to ever appear in an official match for the Ligue 1 club.
Tel only played a total of 10 games for Rennes before Bayern snapped him up in July 2022 – paying £24m for him – and he’s been there ever since.
Mathys Tel views Harry Kane as a ‘role model’
Tel has made no secret for his admiration for Bayern teammate Harry Kane, describing the England international striker as a ‘role model’.
‘He’s a great striker,’ Tel said about the former Tottenham superstar. ‘He has shown that across his career. I’m a striker too, so he’s a role model for me.
‘It’s important to have people to learn from technically and in terms of finishing. Often I don’t even have to ask him. He just comes over to me and tells me: ‘Mathys, you can do that, or that’. He’s a role model to me, and he is helping me a lot.’
Mathys Tel’s stats and numbers don’t tell the full story
A quick look at Tel’s statistics for Bayern and you could quickly make the assumption that he isn’t the most impactful of players.
He has only registered one assist this season – and hasn’t scored a single goal – across 13 appearances in all competitions.
Those stats don’t tell the full story, though, with Tel being restricted to late, cameo appearances a lot of the time under Bayern boss Vincent Kompany.
Tel hasn’t even made it off the bench in three of Bayern’s last four Bundesliga games, with his desire for playing time among his main reasons for wanting to leave the German side this month.
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