Chelsea have reportedly shifted their focus to signing highly-rated Bayern Munich attacker Mathys Tel, following the acquisition of Barcelona’s Marc Guiu.
The Blues secured Guiu for a modest £5 million at the start of the transfer window by triggering a release clause in his contract with the Spanish giants.
Guiu, 18, has signed a five-year deal with Chelsea, but the club’s pursuit of additional striking options continues.
This comes as Romelu Lukaku and Armando Broja are expected to leave Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks.
The future of 2023 signing Nicolas Jackson is also uncertain, with Chelsea potentially willing to part ways with the former Villarreal player if it facilitates a move for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.
However, a move for Isak is currently deemed unfeasible.
Journalist Si Phillips reports that Chelsea held talks over the weekend about signing Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel, reigniting interest in the Frenchman first noted in February.
Although Chelsea did not pursue Tel aggressively mid-season, they have now intensified their efforts following his impressive performances for Bayern.
Tel, 19, joined Bayern from Ligue 1 side Rennes in the summer of 2022 for £16.9 million.
Last season, he was directly involved in 16 goals across 41 games, scoring 10 times and providing six assists.
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In the Bundesliga, he scored seven goals and added five assists in 30 matches, showcasing his versatility by playing as a centre-forward and on both flanks.
Despite his contributions, Tel has primarily been a backup to Harry Kane and has seen limited playing time behind wingers Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, and Leroy Sane.
This led to just six Bundesliga starts and 139 minutes in the Champions League for the 2023-24 season, with Tel not featuring beyond the last-16 stage.
Tel’s limited minutes at Bayern Munich led to interest from Manchester United during the late winter and early spring.
However, Tel reaffirmed his commitment to Bayern by signing a new contract, which now runs until the summer of 2029.
This extension suggests that Tel still views his long-term future at Bayern, but his prospects under new boss Vincent Kompany remain to be seen.
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At Chelsea, Tel could anticipate a strong wage and the security of a long-term contract, though this comes with the trade-off of playing in the Europa Conference League rather than the Champions League with Bayern.
His potential signing would help Chelsea address their needs for both wingers and strikers, but his recent contract renewal makes this move challenging to envision at the moment.
As Chelsea continues to seek solutions to their attacking options, the interest in Mathys Tel highlights the club’s ongoing efforts to strengthen their squad for the future.
