Various reports suggest Arsenal are interested in France U21 international Mathys Tel who has apparently decided to leave Bayern Munich before the end of the transfer window.
The 19 year old joined the German giants from Rennes in 2022, and in 82 appearances has scored 16 goals and made 7 assists. His role this season has been peripheral however, playing just 396 minutes across all competitions with just 1 Bundesliga assist to his name.
The Gunners need for reinforcements is obvious, with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus sidelined, so a move for a versatile forward would make sense. Tel has featured across the front three during his time in Munich, and would provide some depth for the likes of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard who are carrying a heavy burden at present.
It is believed Bayern are willing to let Tel go, but any loan deal this month could require an obligation to buy in the summer – and having paid almost €30m for him, they’d be keen to recoup as much as possible from any sale.
Arsenal are not the only London club sniffing around, with Sp*rs and Chelsea both paying attention to his situation, and Man Utd reportedly keen too, but he could well a name we hear more of between now and the transfer deadline on Monday, February 3rd (11pm).
For the first time this window, we’ve broken out the Poo-O-Meter, so let’s see what happens.
Don’t know much about this guys but the fee seems reasonable.
Read today that Ferguson at Brighton is available – now him I would love to see play for us. Wonder if we could make it happen?
Too injury-prone?
Development trajectory of both players isn’t ideal tbh. You’d far rather always sign a 19 or 20 year who has shown rapid recent growth than a player who emerged very young, plays a lot, and then hits a career flat spot. Particularly if the intention of the signing is to bolster a squad that needs players to hit the ground running.
Think it’s an unfair comparison. Tel has looked good but is (understandably) too raw to push his way into a squad of elite international players. That’s similar to an Odegaard situation and not every player can be a superstar at 18.
Looked great under Tuchel – and not given many chances under Kompany. There is a player in there, and at 19 there is room to develop that. Looks like a great deal tbh
Development trajectories are rarely linear, especially if the player’s manager and whole system changes from one season to the next. At this point in this January market you have to take some sort of risk on a player who’s not doing that well, because the ones who are will not be let go by their teams.
Could be, I guess that would be the gamble. If it was £40m or less I’d be super for it. He’s not the guy but he could be one day.
Seen reports of Ferguson from several papers, all of which involve a loan.
So it sounds like it’s just fiction.
Especially as we can’t do another domestic loan.
Personally I’d be very happy if we could add Ferguson, Tel and Nypan in this window
Ferguson is about as big of an error bar transfer as you can have. He still has the upside of potentially becoming a Kane or Lewandowski type hold up artist, playmaker and finisher, but the flameout potential is also very real if his body can’t hold up or if his mentality is sub elite. This one is about knowing the player as a human and trusting him or not to reach for greatness.
I’d take the punt on him. What I saw of him a couple of seasons ago convinced me he’s got the tools. If we could get him for £40m I’d say do it
100% agreed mate
Trossard will know him well enough to say if he’s worth the punt – and we know MA has been talking to his players about signings
Why would Trossard know him well?
Evan Ferguson? Of Brighton – who we signed Trossard from
My bad. I was assuming you were talking about Tel.
Brighton, who have a strong record of developing young players and who have a much lower barrier for entry into the first team than us, are clearly trying to flog him and have started him only twice this season. That’s enough to give me pause for concern, however good he looked in his breakout season.
However well Brighton are run, they still owe Tony Bloom £373m in interest free loans. Bloom is a professional gambler and poker player amongst other things. He knows when to cash out his chips. Ferguson was being touted at £100m two years ago and he has been injured a lot of that time. Bloom already has Pedro, he signed Rutter for £40m and he had Welbeck in great form. Ferguson is coming back off another injury, but he still has that period where the world saw what he is capable of. If bloom sends Ferguson out on loan and he… Read more »
While I agree with you about brightons record of youth development and remain skeptical about Ferguson as an elite level player – their new manager’s style doesn’t really suit him the way previous managers’ styles have. Also the current guy is a bit of an ass, so maybe it’s a personality conflict?
So the French Nketiah? Seems similar in stats and perhaps profile without the Homegrown element.
Don’t be misled by the stats as he has often come off the bench.. His goals to minutes ratio is more than impressive. I always thought he was a winger, but reports suggest he can play down the middle too. Very talented player
Eddie is a more muscular and combative but Tel is more explosive and shifty, and as a result likely will have more end product. It’s about what your needs are as a team though. The former helps you gain control as a team, the latter gives you more cutting edge.
Arsenal are ultimately after a striker who can do both, which is rare, but in the short term Tel profiles well to fill a need.
He will get pushed around in the prem for the rest of the season- one for next at the earliest if he joins
Eddie muscular? Hehe good one
Not many poos…..exciting
Definitely at the firmer end of the poo scale, maybe with a slight touch of squidgyness.
If he joins, I hope he makes a telling contribution.
We should sign him If the price is good and Mathys are right.
Well done
Glad we aren’t a poker team, his tells are so bad they named him after them.
Seems good in lots of ways, but why are Bayern so keen on a permanent deal for a 19 year old with so much first team experience? Is there something we’re missing?
Yeah, a budget
Same reason they sold Gravenberch, who I really wanted us to buy at the time too btw.
I’m really excited by Tel and really really hope we get him
My biggest concern with such a transfer is the same I had with Sterling. These are guys who primarily operate on the left side of attack. The “can play across the forward line” won’t make the issue of “asking” Trossard, Martinelli, Sterling and probably Tel to do a job there.
I’d love to see what sort of job Messi, Robben or Salah could have done on the other side in their careers
Tel is a blue chip talent, known and touted for a long time now. The bar at Bayern is really high and he hasn’t been able to supplant the likes of Sane, Coman and now Olise. Projecting fit is difficult because he barely plays, but the allure is the raw physical talent, greyhound speed, ankle breaking change of direction, at least average finishing and ball striking, possibly better. Essentially a Theo Walcott type. Those are things Arsenal can use. Beyond Martinelli, we don’t have enough vertical threat. These skills will be particularly pertinent in the Champions league and against teams… Read more »
I agree with your take (although I’ve read that his finishing is actually one of his strengths) – I’d be delighted if we could get him on loan (especially with an option to buy at a reasonable cost)
Hmm, I am not sure if a Theo Walcott type is what we really need rn given our biggest weakness is failing to break down low blocks
This is a signing for the champions league
Would be interesting to see if we had such an operator up front, if we could move the ball fast enough and with enough risk-taking to take advantage of those spontaneous situations, or indeed create them.
We already do create these opportunities, more so than it may appear at first glance. We play with a lead for the majority of our games and specialize in turning teams over in their own half. The issue is with personnel. The thing that separates our forward group from Liverpool’s is simple physicality. They have multiple guys who are capable of creating separation, carrying through contact and finishing fast break chances. Arguably none of Arsenal’s current forwards are able to do all three of these things, at least not with any consistency, except for Saka. Add another 1-2 guys who… Read more »
Why didn’t we identify any of this in the summer when it would have been so much easier to address?
What is this, 1984?
I love the poo-O-meter
Where in Texas are you?
He was included in France’s 25 man preliminary roster for the Olympics, but not in the final 18-man squad. In fairness, Henry filled the forward slots with two overage players (Lacazette and Mateta) plus Olise and included only one teenager in the squad. So, as far as I can recall, I have never seen him play. That really shouldn’t stop me from expressing a deeply-held opinion, so here goes: Not getting much playing time in a squad that includes Sané, Gnabry, Coman, Olise, and Muller (and yeah, Kane) doesn’t really prove anything.
Great option. Very two footed and takes the kind of shots we simply don’t go for at the moment.
I guess time will Tel if this one comes to fruition.
Can you fault the lad from wanting to get away from one H. Kane? Free Mathys, he’s suffered enough!!!
Ayden Heaven to Man U? Doesn’t he know they are the Red Devils?😆😆😆
Is there a reason we wouldn’t be in for Delap? Out and out striker and isn’t afraid to bang shots from far out, meaning he can stretch defences who park the bus.
I like Delap, but at this point he’s a more raw version of Gyokeres and is less refined than Sesko because his weak foot is not well developed. He’s a classic Brighton kind of buy: about 1-2 seasons from his peak, big bang potential, but not ready for the elites yet.