GOOD NEWS! £70m Liverpool Star Reportedly Wants Tottenham Move as Spurs Plot Major Attacking Signing
Pre-season results should never be taken too seriously, but Mathys Tel has given Tottenham supporters plenty of encouragement during the club’s summer tour.
The 2026/27 season could be a huge one for the young French forward, particularly after a relatively underwhelming first 18 months in English football. With Roberto De Zerbi now in charge, there is growing optimism that the Italian coach could be the right man to unlock Tel’s considerable potential.
The 21-year-old showed flashes of his quality during Tottenham’s tour. Against Auckland FC, he drove forward down the left before creating an opportunity for Richarlison. He then produced an even more impressive moment against Sydney FC, scoring Spurs’ only goal with a superb long-range free-kick that dipped dramatically into the net.
While the standard of opposition during pre-season must be considered, Tel’s performances have nevertheless provided a glimpse of what he could offer Tottenham during the new campaign.
The biggest question is whether De Zerbi will trust him enough to make him a regular starter.
De Zerbi has always rated Tel
The final matches of last season may not provide a perfect picture of De Zerbi’s preferred lineup for 2026/27, especially considering Tottenham’s attacking problems and injury issues.
Even so, Tel played an important role. He started Tottenham’s final four games of the campaign as Spurs fought desperately to stay in the Premier League. He also replaced Randal Kolo Muani at half-time during the crucial win over Wolves at Molineux.
De Zerbi’s previous comments indicate that his admiration for Tel goes back several years. After arriving at Tottenham, the manager revealed that he had previously been interested in signing the Frenchman while working in France, apparently when Tel was still with Bayern Munich.
Tel moved to Bayern as a teenager after making an impression at Rennes. During his time in Germany, he scored 12 goals in 60 appearances.
His record since moving to north London in January 2025 has been less impressive, with six Premier League goals from 44 appearances. However, De Zerbi clearly believes the youngster has much more to offer.
Speaking earlier this week, the Spurs boss said:
«“One season more experience, he has big, big talent, an important player. We have the responsibility to help him improve every day.”»
Tel now appears to have an opportunity to relaunch his Tottenham career. However, Spurs’ plans to add more attacking quality could make his battle for a starting position significantly harder.
Tottenham targeting more attacking options
Tottenham continue to be heavily linked with Manchester City winger Savinho, who is reportedly keen on moving to N17.
The deal could depend on City finding a replacement first, but Spurs are still expected to sign at least one additional attacking player before the transfer window closes.
Another player being considered is Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, with reports claiming that Tottenham’s interest is being matched by the Dutchman.
According to reports from a reliable Tottenham source, the 27-year-old “wants to join Spurs” this summer. Liverpool could reportedly be willing to let him leave if they can secure a replacement.
That could make Gakpo a realistic option for De Zerbi, especially amid suggestions that the former PSV star is not planning to stay at Anfield beyond the summer.
Gakpo’s versatility would be a major attraction. He can play centrally or from the left, although some of his strongest performances have come from the left side, where he can cut inside onto his stronger foot.
He also impressed for the Netherlands at the World Cup, scoring three goals before his country were knocked out in the round of 32.
However, Gakpo’s preferred position could create a problem for Tel because the Frenchman is also particularly effective from the left wing.
Tel has shown that he can operate on the opposite flank, including when he supplied the assist for Kolo Muani’s header against Atletico Madrid, but competition for places could become extremely intense if Tottenham complete their planned attacking signings.
Savinho’s position is also uncertain. The Brazilian is capable of playing on either wing, although there is speculation that he could also be used predominantly on the left.
Como scout and analyst Ben Mattinson has even compared Savinho’s style to Gareth Bale because of his tendency to cut in from the left and attack the goal with his preferred foot.
If Tottenham manage to sign both Savinho and Gakpo, Tel could suddenly find himself battling two high-profile additions for a place in the starting lineup.
Spurs clearly need more attacking depth and quality, but adding established forwards could also reduce Tel’s playing time and potentially slow his development.
Presenter Ben Bowman has previously compared Tel to Jermain Defoe because of his natural finishing ability and huge potential. The Frenchman demonstrated his goalscoring instincts during the 2023/24 Bundesliga season, scoring once every 149 minutes.
Nevertheless, if Tottenham are willing to spend around £70m on Gakpo, it remains difficult to see exactly how Tel would fit into De Zerbi’s preferred attacking system.
With Tottenham already allowing Luka Vuskovic to leave and reports also suggesting Lucas Bergvall could depart, another major decision now awaits the club.
ENIC must decide whether strengthening the attack is worth potentially limiting the opportunities of one of Tottenham’s most promising young players.
For Tel, the coming weeks could determine whether he finally establishes himself as a key figure at Spurs or finds his pathway to regular first-team football blocked by new arrivals.
