Tottenham Hotspur have allegedly reached a full agreement to sign Bayern Munich's Mathys Tel on loan with an option to buy for £45.7m in the summer.
The France Under-21 international has been the talk of January deadline day after performing a sensational U-turn on his decision to reject the North London giants.
Tel originally told Daniel Levy that he did not want to join Ange Postecoglou's side, seemingly opening the door for either Arsenal or Manchester United to make their move in the last knockings of the window.
However, the Red Devils ended negotiations with Bayern Munich - allegedly due to their refusal to pay a £5m loan fee - while Arsenal did not firm up their interest on transfer deadline day.
With his options running out, Tel ultimately had a change of heart and agreed to join Tottenham after holding talks with Postecoglou, who was said to have been pivotal in getting a deal over the line.
Tottenham 'to have £45.7 buy option' for Tel
© Imago
According to The Athletic, Tottenham and Bayern have now reached a total agreement for the transfer of the 2005-born attacker, whom Spurs will have the option to sign permanently for £45.7m at the end of the season.
Should Spurs take up their option to sign Tel permanently this summer, the teenager would reportedly sign a six-year contract with Postecoglou's side until the end of the 2030-31 campaign.
Tel arrived at Farnborough airport by private jet earlier on Monday, and an official announcement is expected to be imminent once he has completed his medical tests and signed his contract.
Tel is expected to become Spurs' third and final signing of the January transfer window, following Czech goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky and on-loan Lens defender Kevin Danso to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Lilywhites were tipped to sign a second centre-back following the news that Radu Dragusin would miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury, but Chelsea's Axel Disasi has chosen to join Aston Villa over Tottenham.
Where could Tel fit in at Tottenham?
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A 6ft attacker with an eye for goal and a penchant for firing shots from all angles, Tel could operate either as Tottenham's central striker or as a left-winger in the second half of the campaign.
Spurs will have to make do without £65m summer signing Dominic Solanke for the next few weeks on account of his knee injury, while Richarlison cannot be trusted to stay fit for a full season either.
Out on the left, Son Heung-min has been a near-ever present for Tottenham and recently had his contract extension triggered until 2026, but what the future holds for him beyond the end of next year is unclear.
By the time Son's deal runs out, he will be on the brink of his 34th birthday, and there is every chance that either Tel or fellow teenage phenom Mikey Moore could succeed the South Korean out on the left flank.
Tel has registered 16 goals and seven assists in 83 appearances for Bayern, who signed him for £16.6m from Rennes in 2022, meaning that they will make a significant profit on the Frenchman should Spurs take up their option of a permanent deal.
Ben Knapton
