Mathys Tel is the latest on Chelsea’s January transfer rumor mill, and Bayern Munich’s man has caught the attention of Spurs and Paris Saint-Germain. There’s a hiccup, though; before Blues fans begin to craft ‘Tel 10’ banners, there’s a hiccup. French prodigy has reservations about Munich sausages for London scones (by sausages, clearly, I mean Bayern’s bench time). Game time assurances, please. Can we blame him? Nobody applies to be a professional bench warmer.
Mathys Tel’s Rise: From Sarcelles to Bayern’s Radar
Tel was born in Sarcelles, France, and zigzagged his way through the academies of five different clubs, graduating at Stade Rennais. He’s the touch of football that feels like a worthy Netflix show—you just know there’s more!
Tel joined Bayern Munich in July 2022, but let’s face it: Being a young attacker at Bayern is like being the understudy to Lionel Messi. You’re brilliant, but you’re never caught in the spotlight. He’s been showing flashes of brilliance, scoring goals, raising eyebrows, over two and a half years. With his 500 minutes in the game this season across competitions, Tel could be starting to feel like a side dish in Bayern’s feast, however.
But his market value is growing. Here comes Chelsea, the club that has a game plan to collect attackers like kids hoarding Pokémon cards, with Chelsea not always knowing how to play them.
Chelsea’s Interest: A Tale of Timing and Tel
Chelsea have been trawling across the continent for versatile attackers, and Mathys Tel ticks the box. The club’s attack, however, could indeed benefit from reinforcement, especially in the midfield without a clear long-term future for Christopher Nkunku. Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu have impressed enough, but Chelsea seems to want a young forward who can play anywhere in the frontline, someone who’s adaptable. Tel checks all the boxes.
But Tel, according to the Daily Mail, has reservations about moving to the West London club. The big concern? Game time. It’s not a repeat performance he wants at Stamford Bridge—the 19-year-old has already spent enough time warming the bench at Bayern. However, if Chelsea can guarantee him enough playing minutes on the pitch, he could swipe left on this proposal.
The Nkunku Factor: The Domino Effect at Chelsea
Here’s where it gets juicy: Chelsea could decide which way Tel should go based on the deals made with Christopher Nkunku. If they do sell the former RB Leipzig star, then Tel could be the next player to fall off the club’s books. Now without Nkunku in the mix, the Frenchman’s path to regular game time becomes a lot clearer. Otherwise, Tel decides to stay in Bavaria, and at least he already has his locker set up.
Author’s Take: Why Tel Should Be Careful
I think it is smart of Tel to suggest that he was hesitant to join Chelsea. Chelsea’s history with young attackers on a great stage doesn’t have the best record. They are a club that generally shuffles talent faster than a blackjack dealer in Vegas. Despite his obvious talent, Tel doesn’t deserve a club that cares about his marketability more than his development.
What’s Next for Mathys Tel?
Chelsea will continue their pursuit; they just have to address Tel’s concerns. But after all, he’s a 19-year-old looking to show, not another year perfecting his bench pose. Whatever happens after this, whether he stays at Bayern or Chelsea, it’s how Tel’s next move goes that will define the rest of his career.
Mathys Tel is not just a great whiz kid; he knows the worth of game time. As Chelsea weighs its options and Tel weighs his, one thing is clear: If he lands with whoever, they get a player with huge potential. We hope that no matter where he goes, his next career doesn’t get stuck in a traffic jam of underutilization.
For more sports updates, make sure to follow us on:
