Mathys Tel ‘hurt’ after omission from Tottenham’s Champions League squad
squad (Picture: Getty)
Mathys Tel said he was left ‘hurt’ by Thomas Frank’s decision to omit him from Tottenham’s 22-man squad for the Champions League league phase.
Tel spent time on loan at Spurs from Bayern Munich last season before Tottenham made the move permanent for £30million in the summer transfer window.
But the Frenchman has struggled to make an impact in Thomas Frank’s side so far this season, playing just 19 minutes of Premier League football prior to the international break.
Fellow summer signing Mohammed Kudus has been preferred to Tel by Frank in the opening three games, while the deadline-day arrival of Randal Kolo Muani adds extra competition in wide forward areas for the 20-year-old.
Tel’s opportunities to make an impact for his new club have been limited further after he was omitted from Spurs’ 22-man squad for the Champions League.
And speaking on international duty with France’s U-21 side, Tel admitted that while he respects Frank’s decision, the omission certainly stung.
But I’m someone who stays pretty positive, no matter the situation, because I think I’ve worked a lot on my mental side, so today it’s definitely a disappointment; I would have liked to be there.
‘But the coach’s choice is the coach’s choice; we can only respect it, and we’ll work to come back in the best possible way.’
Tel, however, is hoping to use the omission as motivation to force his way into Frank’s starting XI and insisted he had no desire to look elsehwere for playing opportunities.
‘It doesn’t matter, even if I were on the list, I would have had this desire, to seek revenge, to be effective this season, to be able to kick-start my season in the Premier League,’ he added.
‘Because this is the beginning of a long first season, since last year was on a six-month loan.
‘A desire to go elsewhere? I’m under contract with Tottenham, so I’m a Tottenham player, and I’m going to do my best to simply play.’
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Crystal Palace’s updated Jean-Philippe Mateta transfer stance after Tottenham swoop
Crystal Palace will not sell striker Jean-Philippe Mateta in the January transfer window, sources have told Football Insider.
Mateta is attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs, and the Eagles rejected an enquiry from Tottenham during the summer window.
The 28-year-old has excelled in the last two seasons, scoring 30 league goals across the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns.
Sources say that there is no chance that Palace will sanction the sale of Mateta in the January window, as they would not be able to find an adequate replacement.
Newcastle and Leeds among clubs interested in Jean-Philippe Mateta
Newcastle United and Leeds United are among the Premier League clubs interested in pursuing Mateta when the January transfer window opens.
However, the pair will have to turn their attention to other targets, with Crystal Palace set to reject any offers for their star striker.
In the latter stages of the summer transfer window, Newcastle confirmed the signings of Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa.
Woltemade is a relatively unknown quantity and may struggle in the Premier League, which could see Eddie Howe’s side re-enter the market for an experienced centre-forward come January
Guehi remains a Crystal Palace player after his deadline day move to Anfield collapsed at the eleventh hour, with Oliver Glasner personally intervening to prevent his captain leaving without a replacement.
Sources say that Real Madrid and Juventus are both fond of the England international and could launch their own bids to sign him on a free transfer.
The pair have a strong track record when it comes to picking up free agents, with Liverpool worried that this may mean they miss out on Guehi.
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