Manchester United have reportedly withdrew from the race to sign Mathys Tel, the 19-year-old forward now set to join Tottenham Hotspur, after Bayern Munich demanded a £5 million loan fee for the young talent.
Initially rejecting a move to Tottenham, Tel made a dramatic U-turn on transfer deadline day and has since arrived in the UK to finalize a temporary switch to North London. Between turning down Daniel Levy and agreeing to join Ange Postecoglou’s side, Tel was said to be keen on a move to Manchester United, who had emerged as frontrunners for his signature.
However, negotiations between the two clubs—who famously met in the 1999 Champions League final—stalled over the weekend, leaving Tel’s future uncertain as the 11 pm deadline approached. With United stepping back and Tel initially rejecting Tottenham, Arsenal briefly appeared to have a clear path to sign the forward. However, after assessing the terms of the deal, the Gunners opted against a last-minute move.
United Hesitate Over Loan Fee
According to James Ducker of The Telegraph, Manchester United decided against pursuing Tel after Bayern Munich insisted on a £5 million loan fee, a figure the Red Devils deemed excessive for a player still largely unproven at the highest level. Tel has made 14 appearances for Bayern this season under Vincent Kompany, contributing just one assist, with only four of those appearances being starts. Despite his limited role, the France Under-21 international has shown promise, tallying 16 goals and seven assists in 83 appearances for the German giants.
Standing at 6 feet tall, Tel is versatile, capable of playing both as a central striker and on the left wing. He is set to become Tottenham’s third signing of the January 2025 transfer window, following Kevin Danso and Antonin Kinsky.
Manchester United had two spots open in their attacking lineup, with Marcus Rashford completing a loan move to Aston Villa on Sunday and Antony seeking to revive his career with Real Betis. However, the club’s reluctance to pay £5 million for a six-month loan deal for Tel, coupled with their unsuccessful pursuit of Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku, means manager Ruben Amorim is unlikely to bring in any new players before the deadline.
That said, there could still be outgoings from Old Trafford in the final hours of the transfer window. Left-back Tyrell Malacia is reportedly set to undergo a medical with Dutch side PSV Eindhoven ahead of a potential loan move. Malacia had been close to joining Benfica, but talks collapsed after United refused to budge on their demands.
Meanwhile, Alejandro Garnacho and Casemiro are expected to remain at Manchester United, despite earlier speculation linking them with moves away from the club. As the deadline looms, it appears United’s business for this window is all but concluded.
