Tottenham came into transfer deadline day needing to wrap up a number of signings.
Despite the arrival of centre-back Kevin Danso on Sunday, they needed another defender now knowing that Radu Dragusin would miss the rest of the season following an awful ACL injury.
They tried but ultimately failed to sign Chelsea’s Axel Disasi on loan until the summer but were unsuccessful with their efforts.
Instead, the Frenchman rejected their offer and chose to sign for Aston Villa instead. If that doesn’t typify this awful season for Spurs we’re not sure what will.
Still, there was late drama in a positive light for Ange Postecoglou having secured the signing of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.
Why Spurs signed Tel from Bayern
The circumstances in which Daniel Levy brought Tel to Tottenham was strange.
Last week, they had agreed a £50m fee to sign the teenager on a permanent basis but he rejected the switch in favour of staying in Munich.
So, when news broke on deadline day that he had actually decided to move to Spurs, it raised eyebrows.
A permanent move could well be made but for the next six months, at least, the teenager is only on loan after an £8m loan fee was agreed between the two clubs. There’s an option to buy the player at the end of his stint too.
So, why were Levy and Postecoglou so keen to bring the 19-year-old to London this winter? Well, there’s a number of reasons.
Tel is a particularly exciting young forward, so much in fact that he was described as “one of the best young strikers in Europe” by journalist David Reed. He can feature in that central berth meaning he’d provide strong competition to the likes of Dominic Solanke and Richarlison.
Appearances
41
Starts
10
Minutes
1406′
Goals
10
Assists
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.39
Minutes per Goal Involvement
87.87′
That said, he is being viewed as the long-term replacement for Heung-min Son whose powers are beginning to wane at the age of 32.
It’s safe to say Postecoglou has done well to secure some of the brightest young talents around with Tel set to link up with the likes of Mikey Moore, Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and South Korean talent Yang Min-hyeok.
Still, little known to too many Spurs fans is that Tel isn’t the only teenager the club has signed over the last 48 hours.
Spurs have signed a hugely exciting talent for the future
Post-deadline day Tottenham announced the arrival of young Irish sensation Mason Melia, a player heralded for his ability to dribble in a similar fashion to Luis Suarez by football data analyst Ben Mattinson.
Another addition was secured in the form of Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny who entered the building from Chelsea. It was a move that was described as a “big signing for Tottenham” by the aforementioned Mattinson.
Also said to be “one of their [Chelsea’s] best” young talents by Mattinson, it’s clear there’s a supreme level of hype surrounding Russell-Denny.
But why, we hear you ask? Well, the 18-year-old is particularly versatile, capable of playing in midfield and on the left flank. He’s also incredibly productive, scoring six times and registering 11 assists in 34 games for Chelsea’s U18 side.
What qualities does he possess? Well, he’s capable of splitting the lines with his passing, he’s a set-piece specialist and he’s particularly good on either foot. If we’re in the business of making comparisons, he’s got similar qualities to a certain Christian Eriksen who graced White Hart Lane once upon a time.
That is certainly backed up by academy scout Antonio Mango who described Russell-Denny as a “master of the pass”.
Dare we say it but the youngster also has similar traits to the great Mousa Dembele who was exceptional at breaking up play but also carrying the ball through the lines and bursting past a defender with his strength and long legs. So, the following words from Mango encapsulate why he could be Tottenham’s next version of the Belgian.
“His intelligent positioning sets him apart, and uses his speed to close down opponents quickly. He has long legs, and his quick reactions and speed across the ground mean he constantly makes interceptions. He is also more than happy to engage an opponent in an individual duel. However, what meets the eye is his tremendous success when recycling possession and breaking lines from deep. Fantastic at disguising passes to trick opponents and unlock lines.” – Antonio Mango.
The review tells you all you need to know about the spritely teenager who promises to become a high level of talent who could soon find himself in the Spurs match day squad.
He may not be for the current squad like Tel but he arguably has just as much potential.
Spurs hit the jackpot on "dominant" ace worth millions more than Disasi
The exceptional talent could be something great at Spurs.
3 ByJack Salveson HolmesFeb 4, 2025
