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Mathys Tel is ‘most open’ to joining Manchester United before the transfer deadline after rejecting a move to Tottenham, according to reports.
A number of Premier League clubs have expressed interest in signing the 19-year-old forward after he informed Bayern Munich of his desire to leave.
Tel made 69 appearances for Bayern across his first two seasons at the Allianz Arena but has struggled for minutes under Vincent Kompany, only featuring in eight Bundesliga games this season.
Much was expected of Tel following his 2022 move from Ligue 1 side Rennes but the teenager is now pushing for an exit as he looks for regular game-time.
Tottenham looked set to be his next destination after they agreed a £50m deal with Bayern Munich, but the player turned down a move to Spurs amid interest from Manchester United and Arsenal.
United and Arsenal are both looking to sign Tel – either on loan or permanently – and Bayern remain open to approaches.
According to The Independent, Tel is ‘most open’ to a move to Old Trafford as Ruben Amorim looks to bolster his attacking options ahead of the imminent departure of Marcus Rashford.
Amorim has not played Rashford for well over a month and has sanctioned his move to Aston Villa, who are set to sign the 27-year-old on loan.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of Tel’s idols so that may tempt him to choose Manchester United despite the club’s recent struggles – they will remain in the bottom-half of the Premier League despite the result of Sunday’s clash against Crystal Palace.
United’s need for attacking reinforcements was highlighted against Palace as £72m signing Rasmus Hojlund and £36.5m signing Joshua Zirzkee were both named on the bench.
But Arsenal remain an attracting proposition for Tel as they can of course offer not only Champions League football but a shot at the Premier League title as they attempt to reel in current leaders Liverpool.
As well as Ronaldo, Tel is believed to have idolised Gunners legend and former France striker Thierry Henry growing up as he considers a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta has had to find cover for the injured Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus in recent weeks and wants some help in the transfer market to bolster the Gunners, who face Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.
Arsenal have been linked with moves for strikers Benjamin Sesko, Dusan Vlahovic and Victor Osimhen in January, although their focus has turned to England’s Ollie Watkins in the final week of the transfer window.
The Gunners are considering making a second, improved offer for Watkins after Aston Villa rejected their opening bid. Watkins would be ‘open’ to the move, having supported Arsenal since he was a child.
Discussing Tel’s future following Bayern Munich’s Champions League victory over Slovan Bratislava in midweek, the club’s sporting director Max Eberl said: ‘We spoke in December and Mathys said he wanted to settle down. Now he says he wants to leave.
‘We have to think about whether we will do that and what we will do. He said that the playing time was not enough for him and that is understandable.
‘However, we would have liked him to keep fighting. There is no bad blood. I can understand him. I have rarely had so many clubs call me about a player before.’
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