Who is Mathys Tel? Man United linked to Bayern talent dubbed the next Henry

©TM/IMAGO

It was a moment of hope for Bayern Munich when Mathys Tel stormed into the box on Sunday and assisted Harry Kane in shortening the deficit against Bochum to 2-3. Ultimately, it was too little too late as Bayern fell to Bochum, giving Leverkusen an eight-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga table. For Tel, in the meantime, it was another short cameo that underlined the striker’s potential. Despite the defeat, the match once again highlighted the impact that Tel can have on this Bayern side and why clubs like Manchester United look increasingly interested in the 18-year-old French forward. 

Market Value

M. Tel Left Winger

€40.00m

Tel has now scored six goals and four assists in 28 games across all competitions for Bayern this season. At first glance, these are not the most impressive numbers for a forward. But Tel has featured in just 736 minutes across those 28 games, which means he has scored every 123 minutes this season or been directly involved in a goal every 73 minutes. According to Wyscout, Tel currently ranks 12th among all Bundesliga players with 0.55 goals per 90 minutes. But despite being prolific, under fire Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel seems to be reluctant to give Tel more playing time. One telling example is the Bochum game in which Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was preferred to Tel.

Stats

M. Tel Left Winger

Bayern Munich

Season 23/24–
All competitions

Games

37

Goals

9

Assists

5

With that in mind, it is not surprising that rumors linking the French wonderkid away with a move from Bayern received further ammunition.  "Mathys loves the club and the fans; he wants to be important and win all the trophies here with a strong team.” Tel’s agent Gadiri Camara said to Bild. “Sometimes you just need to feel like you're on the same path. We'll see very soon, but I'm confident. But if not, we have to consider all options because Mathys knows that he is valuable and will be a top player." Signed for €20m from Stade Rennais in the summer of 2022 by former Bayern director of sport Hasan Salihamidzic, the Tel camp feels that the young striker is deserving of more playing time overall. 

Mathys Tel: Next "Thierry Henry" represents an “interesting option” for Man Utd 

Indeed, a recent report by Bild has suggested that Tel is among the players unhappy with Bayern’s head coach, Tuchel. The report surfaced just days after Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg linked the forward with a move to Man United. Tuchel, in the meantime, has preached patience when it comes to developing Tel. "He was an extremely important factor [earlier in the season]; he lost his momentum a bit,” Tuchel said last week ahead of Bayern’s defeat against Lazio in the Champions League when asked about Tel. “He is no longer as aggressive in the box, and he no longer has the absolute urge to score at the moment. Maybe it has to do with self-confidence; it might also have to do with expecting a little too much from yourself. Things are getting better again; he's scoring more in training again. This is all completely normal for a young player."

That was before Tel’s brief cameo against Bochum, in which he played just four minutes but still assisted Kane. A proper reaction to Tuchel’s criticism and amidst continues reports linking the forward with a move away from the club. Two questions, however, stand out. What sort of player is Tel, and what makes him such an intriguing prospect? Valued at €50m, Tel has been favorably compared to former Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. Not quite a pure winger, Tel has described himself as a left forward in an interview with Goal. Indeed, like Henry, Tel, despite being classified as a winger, is more of a goalscorer than provider. 

Player Comparison

Mathys Tel

Thierry Henry

Bayern Munich

Retired

€40.00m

Market Value

-

19

Age

46

Left Winger

Position

Centre-Forward

Jun 30, 2029

Contract until

-

Full Player Comparison

With all that in mind, how good of a fit would Tel be at Man United? “Mathys Tel represents an interesting option for Manchester United this summer,” Transfermarkt Content Manager UK Euan Robertson said. Erik ten Hag will aim to bolster his attacking ranks, and a new striker to provide competition for Rasmus Højlund will be the priority. Although Tel has predominantly played from the left, the Frenchman can be deployed centrally, and he’s one of the most exciting youngsters in Europe. United will be monitoring his situation at Bayern, and it’s important to consider they are one of the few clubs who will be able to afford him. Tel’s favorite position on the left does raise questions over a potential deal, as Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho both prefer playing from that side. Anthony Martial will definitely leave this summer, while Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Facundo Pellistri will be allowed to depart if the right offer arrives. While United will target an experienced striker to take the burden off Højlund, it will be near impossible to ignore a player of Tel’s potential - if he becomes available.”