4 hours Ago By Hal Fish
With just days left to go in the January transfer window, Mathys Tel is one of the hottest proeprites on the market. After the 19-year-old Frenchman told Bayern Munich that he wants to leave, a host of Premier League clubs have been put on high altert. As things stand, Tottenham Hotspur are trying to win the race by making a quick proposal , while Manchester United are also in the mix.
With Arsenal on the hunt for more attacking depth, they too could well land the teenager this week . If he was to join Man United, he could challenge Alejandro Garnacho for minutes at Old Trafford – or possible even replace him, with the Argentine linked with an exit . Likewise, if he was to end up at Spurs, he could be a long-term replacment for the aging Son Heung-min ; or at Arsenal could provide depth and possible be an upgrade to Gabriel Martinelli .
With that in mind, Tel's stats have been compared to all three players. He has struggled for minutes in 2024/25 – hence why he wants to leave – which is why this stats comparison has taken data from the season prior (from league matches, with all involved played at least 30 times). In Mathys Tel, Bayern Munich may have one of the world's most promising young players in its ranks.
Tel Shines Amid Limited Opportunities Simple Stats Comparison (2023/24) Player Games Starts Minutes Goals Assists Mathys Tel 30 6 1050 7 5 Alejandro Garnacho 36 30 2565 7 4 Son Heung-min 35 34 2934 17 10 Gabriel Martinelli 35 24 2019 6 4 The most eye-catching thing about Tel, is the way that he is able to contribute despite his limited opportunities. Indeed, the Frenchman scored as many goals as Garnacho (seven), and one more than Martinelli (six), despite playing about half as many minutes. He also had one more assist than both.
The only player who outshone him on that front was Son. The South Korean scored 10 more goals and claimed five more assists. However, of all the players compared, Spurs ace is perhaps the only one who – now in his early 30s – has proven himself to be an elite-level goalscorer and close to (probably just coming out) of his prime years.
When looking at stats per 90, things look even better for Tel. Shooting Stats Comparison (2023/24) Per 90 Player Goals xG (expected goals) Shots Shots on Target Mathys Tel 0.60 0.
32 3.68 1.54 Alejandro Garnacho 0.
25 0.29 3.51 0.
95 Son Heung-min 0.52 0.37 2.
55 1.17 Gabriel Martinelli 0.27 0.
30 2.59 0.89 The Bayern Munich ace tops the rankings when it comes to goal per 90, and it's impressive that he significantly outperforms his expected goals – which suggests he is a clinical finisher.
He also appears to be quite trigger happy with the most shots attempted per game (3.68) of the four. Once again, though, that he manags to keep a resotable 1.
54 on target on average, hints that he is and can be a reliably accurate finisher. Tel Also Provides Plenty For his Teammates Creative/Passing Stats Comparison (2023/24) Player Assists xAG (expected assists) Shot Creating Action Passes Attempted Passes Completed % Mathys Tel 0.43 0.
20 3.85 29.1 82.
9 Alejandro Garnacho 0.14 0.18 4.
18 23.7 74.9 Son Heung-min 0.
31 0.36 3.96 27.
2 82.5 Gabriel Martinelli 0.18 0.
27 4.10 32.3 77.
9 When it comes to his creative skills, it appears as though Tel can also be relied upon to provide plenty of opportunities for his teammates. Of the four, he managed the most assists per 90 in 2023/24 with 0.43.
As with his goals, he outshone his xAG, although Son's score was the highest on that front. Interestingly enough, he was the worst ranked when it comes to shot creating action – which is the two offensive actions that lead to a shot on goal (such as a pass, take-on, or a foul won) – but the margins he are quite small with Tel managing the fewest at 3.85 and Garnacho doing the most with 4.
18. He also seems to be a reliable in possesion. As a passer, he completed 29.
1 per game with the best accuracy percentage of the four (82.9%) – which is pretty respectable for an attack-minded player. Looking at more general stats which were relevant to consider and compare for attacking Premier League players, Tel stands out as as good dribbler.
Indeed, he attemtps and completes the most attacking take-ons of all the men involved. It's also interesting to note that he leads the way by a consierable distance when it comes to aerial duels won per 90, which suggests he could provide plenty of threat in the air – another target from set-pieces would surely excite Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. General Stats Comparison (2023/24) Player Progressive Carries Attacking Take-ons Attacking Take-on % Touches Aerial Duels Won Mathys Tel 3.
85 5.73 55.2 50.
3 1.20 Alejandro Garnacho 6.25 4.
60 36.6 46.0 0.
21 Son Heung-min 3.65 2.82 42.
4 41.5 0.15 Gabriel Martinelli 5.
67 5.09 35.1 55.
4 0.67 The Premier League is filled with talent, but the incredible depth on the wings is phenomenal. Conclusion With Tel playing the fewest minutes of the lot, it could be argued that these stats don't paint a full picture.
But from what evidence there is, it is clear to see why he is such a wanted man this winter. The Frenchman prefers to play out on the left but can operate as a cente-forward or on the right flank, making him an ideal option to bring into the squad. Able to find the back of the net, provide assists, take on his man, win headers, and retain the ball in possesion, he does all the things a Premier League coach would want of a forward.
Add to that his youth, and he makes a tantalising prospect for the fututre. Whoever lands Tel, will likely be adding a top talent to their squad. Stats via FBREF and SofaScore - as of 31/01/24.
