Manchester United and Arsenal allegedly remain strong contenders to sign Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel.
There has been widespread speculation regarding the future of the Frenchman over the past week given his continued lack of game time at the Allianz Arena.
Although club officials have acknowledged that the 19-year-old could move on before Monday's transfer deadline, it remains unclear whether the player will jump at an opportunity to depart Bayern at this stage.
Previous reports have indicated that Tottenham Hotspur had reached an agreement with Bayern over a transfer fee should Tel wish to move to North London, something which looks unlikely.
However, as per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Spurs face competition from at least two of their Premier League rivals over the next 36 hours.
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United, Arsenal make their move
Romano says that both Man United and Arsenal have made contact with the representatives of Tel to gauge whether a deal is a plausible option.
The suggestion is that serious consideration will be given by Tel due to his admiration of respective club legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry.
Should it become apparent that Tel has settled on finding a new club in the short or long term, more clubs will realistically enter the race for his signature.
All parties are said to be waiting on the decision of the player, who was not part of Vincent Kompany's squad for Saturday's 4-3 victory over Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga.
If a permanent deal is to be completed by any interested club, Bayern will likely demand at least £50m, despite Tel making just 16 starts since his arrival in August 2022.
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Which club is the best fit?
With United having just completed the big-money purchase of Lecce defender Patrick Dorgu, it is questionable whether United will be able to generate the required funds to sign Tel.
Nevertheless, the player may feel that the poor form of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee will allow him to earn regular minutes down the middle of Ruben Amorim's attack.
At Arsenal and Spurs, Tel would realistically have to accept being adaptable with Kai Havertz and Dominic Solanke established down the centre of those frontlines.
Furthermore, when everyone is fit, it is debatable as to whether he would be first choice, and that is something which he will deliberate over during the next 36 hours.
Darren Plant
