The last summer transfer window witnessed several changes in the first-team squad at Bayern Munich. The Bavarian club decided to overhaul the squad by parting ways with a few senior players. These senior players were replaced with players that had youth and experience.
Mathys Tel was one of the transfers that Bayern completed last summer. The 17-year-old French forward was signed from Rennes for a fee close to €30 million. The youngster was brought in to complement the attack after the departure of Robert Lewandowski.
The first half of the season was very productive for Tel. The French forward has not played regularly but managed to make a positive impact whenever he has been on the pitch. Die Roten has been pleased with his development and expects him to play a more significant role in the second half of the season.
Julian Nagelsmann and Bayern have carefully integrated the teenager into the first team. Moving to a new club is often a tricky process for young players since they have to adapt to the new country and league. While talking to Bayern’s in-house media (via iMiaSanMia), Tel admitted that his teammates had helped him in a seamless transition from Ligue 1 to Bundesliga.
"“I’ve learned to deal with pressure – and the most important thing is that my teammates are helping me. Together we are strong, together we can achieve a lot. “I’ve already made many friends within the team: Jamal Musiala, Jo Kimmich, Sadio Mané, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Hernández ,Benjamin Pavard, Kingsley Coman – basically everyone.”"
Tel also hopes to stay at Bayern for a long time. Along with Bayern, Tel is also pleased with his start at the club. He has shown glimpses of his talent in limited playing time this season. The French forward became Die Roten’s youngest goal scorer in DFB Pokal and Bundesliga. With more game time, Tel can become a crucial player for the first team.
Bayern’s patient approach with Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala is paying dividends now. Tel is also likely to go down the same pathway before becoming a regular member of the starting lineup. For now, he needs to focus on making a strong impact whenever he is coming off the bench.
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The injury to Sadio Mane will allow Mathys Tel to get more playing time in the next couple of months. The Senegalese forward is expected to return by the start of March. Since Tel was not involved in the World Cup, he will be fresh and raring to go when Bayern resumes Bundesliga on January 20 against RB Leipzig. The 17-year-old can be the surprise package for Die Roten in the Champions League, starting with the games against PSG in the round of 16 in February.