Analysis: How versatile Tel can breathe new life into Spurs' attack

After Mathys Tel eventually completed a Deadline Day move to Spurs from Bayern Munich, Matt Furniss of Opta Analyst looks at what to expect from the French youngster and how he could fit into the north London side's attack.

After what was one of the most drawn-out transfer stories of the winter window, Mathys Tel finally secured a move to a Premier League club with hours to spare on Deadline Day.

After being linked to Manchester United and Chelsea throughout the month, it was Tottenham Hotspur who took the short-term gamble on the teenager to give them a much-needed lift for the final months of the season.

This is a move that should work for both parties. Spurs have got themselves one of the most exciting teenagers in European football, while Tel should get the playing time he was lacking at Bayern Munich.

It’s hardly unsurprising given he is still just 19 years of age and the depth of attacking talent elsewhere at the club, but Tel has had to make do with coming off the bench to make an impact for most of his career at Bayern.

Overall, just 16 of his 83 competitive appearances for the German club have come in the starting line-up and he’s played just over half of his minutes in a Bayern shirt, 51.8 per cent, as a substitute.

But he has made a decent impact off the bench, scoring 10 goals and assisting five more in 1,281 minutes as a substitute. Overall, those 10 goals as a sub are more than any other player for a Bundesliga club since Tel made his Bayern debut in August 2022.

Tel's impact starting v as a substitute

His first goal for Bayern came as a starter in their 5-0 DFB-Pokal victory over Viktoria Koln in August 2022. With that goal, he became Bayern’s all-time youngest scorer, aged just 17 years and 126 days old.

Ten days later, he scored against Stuttgart on his first start in the Bundesliga, becoming Bayern’s youngest scorer ever in the competition and the fourth-youngest at 17 years and 136 days, behind only Youssoufa Moukoko, Florian Wirtz and Nuri Sahin overall.

Since the start of last season, Tel has been one of the most impressive teenagers in European football for attacking output. Across all competitions, only Spanish wonderkid Lamine Yamal (37) has been involved in more goals than Tel (17) among teenagers from the top five European leagues.

However, Tel’s much more limited game time has seen him average a goal involvement every 110 minutes, superior to the 143 minutes of Yamal.

Most goal involvements by teenagers since 23/24*

*From the top five European leagues

Tel’s main strength is his ability to travel with the ball and make things happen. Across all competitions since the start of last season, Tel has averaged 1.54 shots per 90 following ball carries – that’s higher than any other Bundesliga player to have played at least 1,500 competitive minutes.

He has a high-volume shooter in general, with only Victor Boniface (4.7), Deniz Undav (4.5), Harry Kane (4.2) and Michael Gregoritsch (4.0) averaging more shots per 90 than his (3.9) across all competitions for Bundesliga clubs since the start of last season (minimum 1,500 mins played).

The Frenchman also features high up the rankings for take-ons. Among the same group of players, he is only behind Jamie Gittens (3.9), Jamal Musiala (3.7), Brajan Gruda (3.7) and Leroy Sane (3.2) for successful take-ons per 90, with Tel (3.1) using his pace to outwit opponents. His 52 per cent success rate in take-ons is higher than all of those aforementioned players.

Progressive in the press 

Coming from a team that likes to press high up the pitch will be useful too, with Spurs the most prolific pressing team in the Premier League under Ange Postecoglou. Across all competitions since the start of 2023/24, Bayern have averaged the most high turnovers per game (10.0) and have a PPDA - opposition passes per defensive action - of 10.6, the lowest among Bundesliga clubs.

Tel will offer versatility to Postecoglou for the rest of this season. His most common position for Bayern has been on the left wing, from where Tel can cut inside on to his right foot.

That is how he scored three of his seven league goals last season.

With Spurs captain Son Heung-min playing from the left, it’s likely the Frenchman will have to find somewhere else to fit in. Son has struggled for consistency this season, though, and this could be an ideal opportunity to add some competition on that flank.

With the option to buy Tel permanently at the end of the season, he could even become Son’s long-term successor.

It’s also unlikely he’ll be able to oust Dominic Solanke from the No 9 position, with the former AFC Bournemouth man so crucial to Spurs’ out-of-possession work. That means the right wing might be where Tel gets most of his opportunities at Spurs when both Son and Solanke are fit.

Although by no means one-footed, Tel isn’t as strong on his left, converting just one of 17 left-foot shots in all competitions since the start of last season (5.9 per cent), compared to seven of 56 (12.5 per cent) with his right.

Therefore, if deployed from the right flank at Spurs, he’d likely become less threatening in the situations he’s caught the eye in while playing on the left at Bayern. That’s not to say he won’t shoot on his right foot from the right wing, but Tel may find it harder to get himself into dangerous positions on that side of the pitch.

Tel’s arrival comes at a time where Spurs are in need of bodies, too. Attacking players Solanke, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner, James Maddison and Wilson Odobert are all currently out injured, although most are expected to return later this month.

All five of those are near certain to be out for Spurs' crucial EFL Cup semi-final second-leg tie against Liverpool this week, whereas Tel should be free to make his debut as the club look to reach the final in their quest for a first piece of silverware since winning the same competition in 2008.

Back then, it was a player they brought into the club in January who made the difference, with Jonathan Woodgate scoring the winner in the final against Chelsea. Only time will tell if Tel can be the difference this time.

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