The Peoples Person

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed to sign Mathys Tel for a €10 million loan fee after Manchester United reportedly refused to pay half of that in negotiations with Bayern Munich.

A transfer race erupted across Europe after the 19-year-old forward declared his intention to leave Bayern in the final week of the January transfer window.

Tel had grown increasingly frustrated with a lack of first-team opportunities under Vincent Kompany, having been consigned to the bench in three consecutive games for Dir Roten.

United, who hold a long-standing interest in the French starlet, approached Bayern over a potential loan deal as the club’s finances could not stretch to a permanent transfer in the winter window. However, Spurs jumped the rapidly growing queue for Tel, which included Chelsea, Arsenal and Aston Villa, by reaching a £50 million agreement with Bayern to sign the 19-year-old.

This appeared to draw an end to the race, only for Tel in a shock twist to reject the Lilywhites’ advances. Reports then emerged suggesting the Frenchman was “waiting” for a switch to Old Trafford, reigniting United’s pursuit.

Bayern were adamant they would not let Tel leave on loan without favourable terms, however.

A £5 million fee emerged as a sticking point between the clubs during negotiations, as did the German’s refusal to include a £45 million buy-option in the deal. Arsenal are believed to have hit a similar hurdle in their pursuit of Tel.

It appeared a road block had been reached with Tel’s only path out of Bavaria being a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which he had already rejected.

But the, in an even more sensational twist, an agreement was reached between Spurs and Bayern, with Tel’s blessing, and the 19-year-old boarded a plane to North London – for a loan move with a buy-option.

And now, Florian Plettenberg (Sky Sports Germany) reveals, it is the inclusion of an exorbitant “loan fee of €10 million” in the deal which appears to have won over officials at the Allianz Arena. Furthermore, Spurs have agreed to “cover five months” of Tel’s salary, totalling around “€2 million gross.”

This brings the total potential cost of the five month loan to €12 million (£10 million) – double what United had already refused to pay.

Tweet: “FC Bayern will receive a loan fee of €10 million for Mathys #Tel. As first via @cfbayern and confirmed. In addition, Tottenham will cover five months of his salary, amounting to around €2 million gross.

For the summer, #COYS have secured an option to buy of around €55m, which can rise to €60m with bonus payments. However: Tel has made sure that he will have a decisive say in whether Tottenham exercise the purchase option.

There is no mandatory buy clause, as Bayern had initially preferred – this was also at Tel’s request.”

A buy option of €55 million (potentially rising to €60) has been included in the deal, meaning the overall price to sign Tel could reach just under £60 million when the various fees are included – far surpassing the £50 million permanent transfer Spurs had originally agreed with Bayern.

Undoubtedly, United were in desperate need of attacking reinforcements in the winter window.

But given this particular option included such an unfavourable selection of conditions to sign a relatively experienced (albeit highly-rated) 19-year-old attacker who is best deployed on the left-wing, it is understandable why the club chose to withdraw from talks to sign Tel.

It remains to be seen whether this will prove a wise decision in the long-run, however.

The end of the January transfer window is set to get extremely hectic for Manchester United with multiple players linked with late exits.

Chief among them being Alejandro Garnacho with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Napoli eyeing the 20-year-old. United had slapped a £80 million price tag on his head.

And now according to The Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur have joined them in the race with Ange Postecoglou’s men in dire need of reinforcements.

Spurs were initially hoping to conclude a deal for Mathys Tel of Bayern Munich but the Frenchman rejected their approach and has his eyes on moving to Old Trafford.

Spurs eyeing Garnacho

Now, a desperate Daniel Levy is eyeing the Carrington graduate with INEOS reportedly open to a sale should the North London team submit a bid in the region of £60 million.

“Tottenham have made an enquiry for Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho after missing out on Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.

“United have been willing to sell for around £60m amid interest from Chelsea and Napoli. It is unclear whether Garnacho would consider the move to Tottenham at this stage.”

Whether the Argentina international agrees to move to Spurs remains doubtful. And Amorim has also made it clear to the co-owners that he does not want to lose the Argentina international.

Will United sell?

After Amorim dropped him from the Manchester derby squad, the versatile winger has completely revamped his game and has taken the new coach’s advice on board regarding both his on-field and off-field activities.

And the ex-Sporting Lisbon boss has had nothing but words of praise for the United No 17, who produced another stunning cameo off the bench for the 20-time English league champions against FCSB in the Europa League on Thursday.

Selling Garnacho to a direct domestic rival for the price tag mentioned in the report would be scandalous. It is clear that INEOS are eyeing pure profit to balance the books but surely, the fan-favourite is worth a lot more.

Given how difficult United have found it to deal with Daniel Levy in the past, United should try and make it extremely hard for them.

It would suit the club should Marcus Rashford join the Lilywhites instead but whether the Mancunian will entertain the idea is still not clear.

Feature image Gareth Copley via Getty Images

Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly reached a €60m agreement for Manchester United target Mathys Tel.

Tel put Premier League clubs on red alert after it emerged that he wants to leave Bayern before the close of the winter transfer window on February 3.

Bayern sporting director Max Eberl confirmed as much, indicating that he has been inundated with calls from interested parties keen on signing Tel.

United want him but only on an initial loan deal. Tel is believed to prefer a switch to Old Trafford ahead of any other possible transfer destinations.

Other teams mentioned to be in the race to secure the 19-year-old’s services include Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Spurs.

Now, Le Parisien reveal that “things are speeding up” for Tel after several clubs “smelled a good deal” to “snatch his signature.” Spurs have gone a step further, striking a €60m agreement with Bayern for the Frenchman.

This sum represents more than double the amount the Bundesliga giants forked out to recruit him from Rennes in the summer of 2022.

L’Equipe also state that Spurs and Bayern have wrapped up an agreement that would see Tel join Ange Postecoglou’s ranks in North London.

Spurs’ technical director Johan Lange recently jetted to Germany to persuade Tel he should pursue his career with the Lilywhites.

Both publications however note that the highly-rated Tel has yet to make a final decision over his future.

He wants to listen to all offers that are presented to him before settling on his next club. The player will prioritise a move that will give him the most chance of featuring regularly.

Tel’s contract with Bayern runs until 2029.

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford’s future continues to be in the air with less than a week left for the January window to close.

The Mancunian does not seem to have a place in Ruben Amorim’s plans judging by his latest brutal comments with the player also publicly revealing his desire for a change in scenery.

The Englishman must have thought finding a new club would be easy but it has not proven to be the case. AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund have already left the chase amid Rashford’s adamant stance that he will only move to Barcelona.

However, the Catalan giants have failed to make space for him in the squad with Ansu Fati and Eric Garcia yet to depart the Camp Nou.

Rashford’s future still up in the air

Barca might also struggle to accommodate United’s demands of paying the United No 10’s wages in full even if he agrees to take a pay-cut.

With time running out, the England international could be forced to take alternate options with The Peoples Person recently relaying that Turkish sides Galatasaray and Fenerbahce have also entered the race.

But there are more options for the 27-year-old within the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United both eyeing the Carrington graduate.

While INEOS had made it clear that they would not strengthen a direct domestic rival, keeping Rashford at the club amid the rising tensions with Amorim might not be the best route to take.

Ultimately, the new co-owners would want to sell Rashford to the highest bidder in the summer and the best way to maximise his transfer value would be to send him out on loan so that he can regain his form.

As per journalist Alex Crook, speaking on the TalkSPORT Transfer Notebook Podcast, Spurs could look to take advantage of United’s conundrum closer to deadline day.

In fact, the agency that Rashford has reportedly touched base with in order to find an exit route out of Old Trafford have a great relationship with the North London club so a move cannot be ruled out at this stage.

Spurs could take advantage

“But do we get to deadline day when the European avenues have been closed? I think Barcelona are going to need to get players out in order to facilitate any kind of move,” Crook said.

“One of those Premier League clubs, or West Ham or maybe even Tottenham, who have a good relationship with one of the agencies that I understand, Marcus Rashford, has enlisted the help of to get him a move.

“Do they go to Manchester United and say, look, if you can swallow up a bigger percentage of his wages, we’ll take him? Could that well happen on deadline day?”

Whether INEOS agree to said demands remains to be seen. The saga is expected to run until Deadline day with United lining up Mathys Tel as an alternative should the 27-year-old depart.

Manchester United were facing the prospect of losing Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho this January with both wingers linked with an exit.

While the Mancunian had already declared his intention to leave, the Argentine was initially not looking to move but the club’s need to balance the books and Ruben Amorim’s own tactical system was seen as reasons for the player’s U-turn.

As a result, the club seemed to go into panic mode and as relayed by The Peoples Person, they were looking at Southampton rising star Tyler Dibling as Garnacho’s replacement.

It would not have been an easy deal to pull off given the 18-year-old’s £50m price tag as well as the presence of numerous other suitors in the race.

United could miss out on Dibling

But now with Chelsea moving on to Mathys Tel and Napoli’s final bid set to fall well short of INEOS’ asking price, there is a growing possibility that the Argentina international remains at Old Trafford.

Amorim has praised his impact and his ability to adhere to his tactical instructions and this indicates a thawing of tensions between the pair.

Which is why United could move on from Dibling and as revealed by TBR Football, Tottenham Hotspur are looking to take advantage with a loan-to-buy offer for the 18-year-old.

Spurs are in a disastrous run of form in the league and are in urgent need of reinforcements but whether their offer gets accepted remains to be seen.

Spurs eyeing loan-to-buy deal

“TBR Football revealed back in September that Tottenham were scouting Dibling – with Manchester United also keeping tabs on the youngster.

“Sources add that Tottenham do not have £50m to spend this winter, but could look to sign Dibling on an initial loan deal before paying the fee this summer.”

The English talent has already told the Saints that he will not be signing a new contract at the club and with the team from St Mary’s looking odds-on to get relegated this season, there is a good chance that Dibling will leave in the summer if not now.

Southampton want to hold on to their talisman given their league form but should the player put pressure, they will have very little hope of keeping a hold of him this January.

Feature image Michael Steele via Getty Images

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is reportedly under consideration to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur.

Ten Hag was sacked by United in late October, with his final game being a 2-1 loss at the hands of West Ham.

The Dutchman had been in the dugout since 2022 and led United to Carabao Cup and FA Cup glory during his two-and-a-half years in charge.

He has been linked to multiple managerial roles, most notably at RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund.

Now, Fichajes report that Spurs are eyeing Ten Hag as a potential replacement for Postecoglou, who is under immense pressure following the London club’s extremely poor form.

Spurs are in turmoil at the moment, having lost five of their six games in the Premier League. They’re currently in 15th position in the table and just eight points above the relegation zone.

The club’s defeat on Sunday at the hands of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City saw fans chant against chairman Daniel Levy, while Postecoglou also got his fair share.

According to Fichajes, Postecoglou is “on the ropes” and Spurs have informed him that his position is in danger.

“Among the names that are beginning to be mentioned is that of Erik ten Hag, who was recently sacked by Manchester United after a period of ups and downs at Old Trafford.

“Ten Hag’s experience and ability to rebuild teams could be key in Tottenham’s decision, as they seek stability and immediate results.”

The report further notes that the next few days will be “crucial” in determining who will take charge of Spurs if Postecoglou were to be relieved of his duties.

It’s understood that at the moment, Postecoglou retains the support of the Spurs hierarchy but results need to dramatically improve.

Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images

With Manchester United languishing in 14th place, Ruben Amorim has asked INEOS for reinforcements this January but so far, no help has been forthcoming.

That is because the club is grappling with PSR concerns following years of abject Glazers ownership coupled with the exorbitant splurge on players last summer.

United are open to moving on high-earners like Casemiro and Antony but so far, no concrete approach has been made. Things are getting so desperate that the new co-owners are mulling over moving on academy graduates as they represent pure profit.

Marcus Rashford, who has already declared his intention to leave, is the favourite to depart but it is likely to be on loan for now with a permanent exit scheduled for next summer.

Garnacho’s future up in the air

That is why both Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, previously considered untouchable, are no longer in that bracket as they constitute the club’s most saleable assets.

The Argentine has mainly figured as a substitute under the new head coach since Amorim dropped him due to his lack of application both on and off the pitch.

With the Portuguese’s system involving the use of two No 10s alongside a striker, the left winger does not seem to have a natural role in the system with Amorim demanding a lot more hard work off the ball from his wide men.

The 20-year-old has shown he has the appetite for a fight with his impressive back-to-back displays against Liverpool and Arsenal with the Red Devils valuing him at €80 million.

There has been reported interest from Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain but Napoli, who have recently lost Kvicha Kvaratshkhelia to PSG, seem to be heading the queue for the Argentine.

But they have been joined in the race by Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur who are said to be eyeing the Argentina international as a long-term successor to talismanic captain Son Heung-min.

According to Football Transfers, the North London club are ready to bid €70 million to land their intended target, a sum that could tempt the 20-time English league champions into selling.

Spurs want Garnacho

“Tottenham Hotspur have set their sights on Manchester United’s highly rated winger Alejandro Garnacho, with Football Transfers learning that Spurs have lodged a concrete enquiry about the 20-year-old Argentine’s availability.

“Sources close to the club have revealed that the North London outfit may be prepared to test United’s resolve with a bid in the region of €70 million (£60m), a figure believed to be enough to tempt the Red Devils into selling the dynamic forward.

“For Tottenham, the South American fits the profile of a long-term successor to their talismanic captain Son Heung-min.”

Strengthening a direct domestic rival, that too with an academy crown jewel is a bad look for INEOS and they must avoid this at all cost.

Garnacho has shown the fire in his belly to come good in Amorim’s system in recent weeks and the club should try and hold on their best players instead of searching for pure profit.

Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images

Despite their most recent impressive draw at Anfield, Manchester United have struggled to score consistently this season and have scored as many goals as 19th-placed Leicester City.

Rasmus Hojlund fluffed his lines against Liverpool while Joshua Zirkzee keeps getting linked with a January exit despite his coach and teammates wanting him to stay.

However, the biggest disappointment for Ruben Amorim has been Marcus Rashford, who was initially played up front but his lacklustre work off the ball and in training eventually saw him lose his place in the starting lineup.

After being snubbed for the all-important Manchester derby, the Mancunian came out and revealed that he wanted to leave his boyhood club and the Portuguese has not played him in the last six games in a row.

Rashford’s future

INEOS have not found it easy to find the Englishman a new home in January due to their asking price and the forward’s massive £300,000 per week wages (via capology).

So far, only loan proposals have arrived with the United co-owners looking for a permanent solution. The England international has already ruled out a move to Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.

AC Milan and Barcelona have emerged as possible options as they weigh up a loan deal with an option to buy and according to The Daily Mail, they have been joined by United’s domestic rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.

“Tottenham are among a number of European giants who want to take Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United. Spurs are looking to bolster their attacking options and rescue their season despite being the second-top scorers in the Premier League.

Spurs join the race

“However, they could face competition from Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan, with his representatives having jetted off for talks with the latter. Juventus and Galatasaray also hold an interest.”

The report does not make clear whether Spurs are eyeing only a straight loan or are willing to buy next summer while how much of the 27-year-old’s wages need to be covered by the Red Devils is also not made clear.

Either way, based on how difficult United have found it dealing with Daniel Levy in the past, they should not agree a deal with the North London side.

Strengthening a direct domestic rival does not seem the brightest idea and if United are to agree a deal with Spurs, they should try and earn more than the reported £40 million while making it as difficult as possible for the Lillywhites.

Feature image Michael Regan via Getty Images

Manchester United crashed out of the Carabao Cup at the quarter-final stage after a heartbreaking 3-4 loss at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday.

Ruben Amorim was guilty of making too changes on the night with backup keeper Altay Bayindir responsible for two huge errors which ultimately cost his team the tie.

It was the Turkish star’s first start under the Portuguese and he would have liked to have made a better impression on the night.

But his poor clearance for the hosts’ opening strike and his weak jump for Spurs’ winner were poor to say the least even though Spurs’ fourth goal was a contentious issue.

Bayindir was poor vs Spurs

With Andre Onana also committing a few errors recently, the former Fenerbahce star had the chance to stake his claim as a starter if he had managed to put in a good shift. However, it was anything but.

Amorim had refused to blame his goalkeeper but transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has now claimed on Givemesport that Amorim has decided to put the Turkiye international up for sale in January.

United are open to an exit should they receive a substantial bid. “Bayindir could leave in case Man United receive an important proposal for the Turkish goalkeeper,” Romano wrote, highlighting how ruthless the Portuguese tactician can be.

The 26-year-old shot-stopper has managed only four appearances since his €5 million move to Manchester in 2023 with former boss Erik ten Hag not his biggest fan.

Amorim wants Bayindir gone in January

Bayindir has been linked with a move to Hull City as well as Celtic, not to mention with clubs back home and it seems his time at Old Trafford is drawing to a disappointing conclusion.

He has a current market value of €10 million according to Transfermarkt and INEOS would do well to earn as much from his sale in the winter.

Amorim has not been impressed with the club’s options in goal and wants increased competition for Onana and should Bayindir leave, the Red Devils could jump for Illan Meslier of Leeds United.

Tom Heaton is also there at the club but Amorim is clearly not convinced with him either and it will be intriguing to see who the club can sign as backup.

Feature image Alex Pantling via Getty Images

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has confirmed that Mason Mount will not be available for selection during Thursday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final clash against Tottenham Hotspur, while there are also question marks over Noussair Mazraoui’s availability.

Mount started last weekend’s comeback win over Manchester City at the Etihad but he was on the pitch for only 15 minutes before he was forced off with an injury.

The England international hit the ground and could clearly not carry on any further. He was replaced by Kobbie Mainoo.

Mount headed straight down the tunnel for further assessment of his issue. The severity of the problem remains unclear at the moment.

Sunday’s derby was just Mount’s 32nd appearance in a United shirt since he joined in the summer of 2023 from Chelsea.

He has directly missed 37 games through injury over the past year and a half.

Meanwhile, Mazraoui managed 78 minutes of action at the Etihad before being taken off for Antony. Mazraoui was later spotted leaving the Etihad while limping.

Ahead of United’s meeting with Spurs tomorrow, Amorim gave updates on Mount and Mazraoui.

The United boss said [via club media], “Mason Mount is not available.”

“He has an injury. Nous, we will see today. The rest of the squad are ready to play the game.”

“We have to assess all the players and try not to get a lot of injuries. If we do that, we’ll be stronger in these kind of moments.”

According to Manchester Evening News, Mazraoui has recovered from the knock he sustained against City and he rendezvoused with teammates for the journey to London on Wednesday afternoon.

Confirmed United squad members include Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Christian Eriksen, Kobbie Mainoo, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Joshua Zirkzee, Rasmus Hojlund and Amad Diallo.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images