Tottenham Hotspur are gearing up for Champions League action, but Mathys Tel seemingly won’t be involved under Thomas Frank.
Premier League action is taking a back seat right now, with the first international break of the season now upon us.
Tottenham Hotspur have gone into the break off the back of a defeat, after losing 1-0 at home to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.
Thomas Frank’s strong start has suffered its first major setback, but the deadline brought a new face to North London.
Randal Kolo Muani joined Tottenham on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, adding another attacking option to Frank’s ranks.
Tottenham Hotspur fans on Mathys Tel decision
Kolo Muani could make his debut against West Ham United after the international break, and then it’s straight into Champions League action.
Spurs kick off their Champions League campaign against Villarreal on 16 September, as the Spanish side head to North London.
Frank has now named his squad for the Champions League, as seen on Tottenham’s official website.
Kolo Muani and fellow new Tottenham signing Xavi Simons are both included, but Mathys Tel is nowhere to be seen.
Spurs only signed Tel permanently this summer, having taken him on loan from Bayern Munich in January.
The Frenchman showed some promise, but he has played just 19 minutes in two substitute appearances in the Premier League this season.
Spurs have now omitted Tel from the Champions League squad, leaving fans completely baffled.
Many supporters ‘feel bad’ for Tel, and believe that his confidence could sink even lower after a difficult start to the campaign.
Some believe that this is a ‘horrible decision’, and believe that new boss Frank may not be too keen on Tel as a player.
Others are questioning the logic in even signing Tel on a permanent basis, believing that Spurs have no coherent strategy in the transfer market.
UEFA B list explained amid Mathys Tel questions
Tel has been left out of Tottenham’s squad, but some fans wondered whether he would be available to be registered for the B list.
Official UEFA rules state that players born after 1 January 2004 can be registered outside of the main squad – if they have been registered for two years uninterrupted.
“A player may be registered on List B if he is born on or after 1 January 2004 and has, since his 15th birthday, been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years, or a total of three consecutive years with a maximum of one loan period to a club from the same association for a period not longer than one year. Players aged 16 may be submitted if they have been registered with the club for the previous two years without interruption.
Tel ticks the first box, having been born in 2005, but he has only been a Tottenham player in 2025.
That means Tel cannot be registered and will not kick a ball for Tottenham in the Champions League league phase.
Tel must now look to impress in the Premier League and EFL Cup in order to catch Frank’s eye, as well as kicking on in training to force his way into Frank’s plans.