Mathys Tel has become a must-start for Tottenham | OneFootball

When Tottenham acquired young forward Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich in the winter transfer window, their hope was to bring on a young, high-upside attacker who could potentially add a spark in a rotational role and maybe even a goal or two in their last-ditch effort to reach the European footballing places in the Premier League.

Well a few months later and Tel has had trouble establishing himself in any capacity in the Tottenham lineup. But in a dreary 4-2 loss to Wolves on Sunday at the Molineux, Tel, alongside star playmaker James Maddison, was one of only two players to distinguish himself in any sort of a positive light.

The 19-year-old drew his first start in nearly a month and scored his second goal of April, carrying more threat than any of the other Tottenham forwards on a dismal afternoon. Tel provided width and attacking verve, always looking to make the most incisive action to add some sort of threat to the opposition goal. And that has been missing for Spurs, especially with Son Heung-min's abrupt decline in performances over the course of the season.

Tottenham are playing for the future

Tottenham need to capitalize on any momentum generated from Tel's promising display amidst dire circumstances at Wolves and give Tel a steady diet of starts before the 2024/25 Premier League season. Spurs are in a holding pattern with Ange Postecoglou at the helm, and while they are well behind the European football race to the point where they are unequivocally out of the competition, they are also in no real threat of relegation.

Basically, Tottenham are playing for pride and for the future. And while it's highly unlikely Tel lives up to the inflated 60 million euro price tag that Bayern Munich so onerously set on a permanent Tel transfer in 2025, Tottenham could always negotiate another year for the talented teenager on loan. And they need to see exactly what they have in Tel before making a decision this summer.

With how poorly Son has been playing lately, there may not be a drop-off between the Premier League legend and the newcomer on loan. Tel may even be an upgrade. Furthermore, Tottenham know what they have in Son and know that his struggles are either due to aging or, more likely, Postecoglou's issues. Son can improve without Big Ange. Tel can only play under Big Ange, unless if he's fired befor the season ends, and Tottenham will still have no idea what Tel can or can't offer as a left winger or striker.

So start him. Harness lightening in a bottle. Take the gamble. See what the young Tel can offer and give the man a confidence boost that he can potentially use to catapult Spurs to success in the Europa League and other competitions. He can play as a left winger or even a striker. Get him in there and get some dynamism and goal threat going, because, goodness knows, Tottenham could use the spark. And let's see if Tel can play himself into Spurs' future plans.