Deadline day Tottenham signing Mathys Tel has revealed that Harry Kane helped sway him towards north London.
Tel and Kane have shared the same dressing room since the England captain completed a big-money move from Spurs to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023. And Kane’s relentless goalscoring exploits have limited Tel’s first-team opportunities.
Having only started three matches in all competitions this season, 19-year-old forward Tel decided to leave Bavaria towards the end of the winter transfer window. Despite interest from the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Aston Villa, he eventually opted for Tottenham after a lengthy chat with manager Ange Postecoglou.
After completing his loan move, which reportedly includes a £45million option to buy, Tel explained that Kane also played his part in the late-window switch.
“He told me this is a big club with a lot of very good people,” the youngster told Tottenham’s social media channels. “The pitch is very nice. The training centre is very good. And if you go there, you can enjoy it. So everything was positive from Harry Kane.”
Kane is Spurs’ all-time leading scorer with 280 goals in 435 games. The 31-year-old has posted even better numbers in Germany, where he is averaging just under a goal a game while going in search of his first career trophy.
Tel is not yet as prolific as the Bayern star but he is still tipped to enjoy a bright future. Still 19 until April, the Frenchman was playing senior football with Rennes at the age of 16 and made a lucrative switch to the Bundesliga shortly after his 17th birthday.
Postecoglou’s squad is still crippled by injuries in attack and defence. Tel, who can play up top or off the left wing, is therefore in a healthy position to bank minutes almost immediately. Dominic Solanke, Wilson Odobert, James Maddison, Timo Werner and Brennan Johnson all missed Sunday’s 2-0 win at Brentford, and the manager is desperate to rotate.
“It’s the same group of players doing Thursday Sunday,” he said. “You can’t get away from that fact. People dismiss it, but playing Thursday Sunday without being able to rotate takes its toll. The Premier League is a relentless competition.
“It’s very difficult for a group of players to play on Thursday and Sunday and maintain their level. What they’re doing is giving maximum effort. They’re human beings, they’re not robots. I know the reality and these guys are giving everything.”