Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has selected Richarlison, Dominic Solanke and deadline day signing Randal Kolo Muani as the three strikers for this season’s Champions League group stage fixtures.
Frank hasn’t included Mathys Tel, who has expressed his disappointment at being left out of the list.
The 20-year-old said he was hoping to represent Tottenham in Europe’s elite club competition this season and it “definitely hurts” to miss out.
Tel, who is part of the France U21 squad for this international break, has been speaking to the French media, and Le Télégramme have relayed his comments.
At the start of this year, the striker moved to the north London club on loan from Bayern Munich and Spurs made his stay permanent in the summer. He has signed a contract until 2031.
That hasn’t stopped Tel from being asked whether he’s ‘seeking revenge’ or if he has a desire to move elsewhere, likely in January, after Frank didn’t include him in the squad for the Champions League.
When responding to that, the France U21 international has refused to close the door on a potential exit.
“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. Because this is the beginning of a long first season, since last year was on a six-month loan,” he said.
“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.”