Manchester United 'make contact' over transfer for Bayern Munich wonderkid

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 15: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Manager Erik ten Hag of Manchester United speaks during a press conference at Carrington Training Ground on February 15, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester United appear to be stepping up their pursuit of 18-year-old Bayern Munich prodigy Mathys Tel, amid interest from two other English clubs.

United spent big on young attacking talent last summer, bringing in Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta for an initial £64m – and it seems as though they could repeat the trick  this off-season.

Left-sided winger Tel, a France U21 international, is currently valued at €50m (£42.7m) by Transfermarkt.

MUNICH, GERMANY - JANUARY 21: Mathys Henri Tel of FC Bayern München looks on during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and SV Werder Bremen at Allianz Arena on January 21, 2024 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)

Mathys Tel has scored six goals for Bayern this season (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, United "have made contact" regarding a potential move for Tel.

Plettenberg adds that "two more clubs from England" have recently "inquired" about the former Rennes player, whose contract at Bayern runs until the end of the 2026/27 campaign.

Tel is said to have his sights set on gaining legendary status with the Bavarian giants – but he has seen limited action this term, with all 17 of his Bundesliga appearances for Thomas Tuchel's team coming from the bench.

Mind you, that's hardly surprising given Bayern's two first-choice options for supporting number nine Harry Kane are Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala.

France's midfielder Mathys Tel (L) and France's defender El-Chadaille Bitshiabu celebrate winning the 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship final football match against Netherlands at the Netanya stadium in the Israeli city, on June 1, 2022. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Tel (left) helped France to victory at the 2017 UEFA European Under-17 Championship (Image credit: Getty Images)

It may prove to be the case for Tel, then, that he needs to move away from the Allianz Arena to further his career.

Nineteen in April, time is clearly still very much on his side, and United could be a particularly appealing option as they look set to enter an exciting new area amid fresh investment from Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS group.

Tel joined Bayern from Rennes in the summer of 2022 and has featured 54 times in all competitions, scoring 12 goals.

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Jamie Carragher says United would be making a "great appointment" if they were to succeed in poaching Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth.

Meanwhile, Tel isn't the only Bayern player being linked with a switch to Old Trafford: Harry Kane has been tipped for a sensational exit.

And the Red Devils could swoop for a £103m European starlet this summer.

Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...