Ange Postecoglou insists Mathys Tel never rejected Tottenham | OneFootball

Tottenham have recently completed the signing of Mathys Tel, a move that has sparked plenty of discussion.

The 19-year-old French forward was linked with the club for some time, but it was initially reported that he had turned down a move to North London.

However, as the transfer window drew to a close, Tel made his way to London, joining Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich, with the club holding a £47.5m option to buy next summer.

This deal has raised questions about the youngster's decision-making process, particularly after claims surfaced that he had rejected Tottenham before eventually agreeing to the move.

Ange Postecoglou clears the air

FC Bayern Muenchen Training Session And Press Conference - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League | Alexander Hassenstein/GettyImages

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has moved to clarify the situation, denying that Mathys Tel outright rejected the club.

According to BBC Sports, when asked about the rumours, Postecoglou explained that the situation was more nuanced.

"I think people need to understand that you are talking about a 19-year-old who has to make a major decision for his career and it's not that he rejected us or rejected anyone else," the manager said.

Postecoglou praised Tel for taking the time to carefully consider his options, stating that the forward wanted to make a decision he was comfortable with rather than being pushed in a particular direction.

"I think he just wanted to be comfortable with his decision. I don't think he wanted to be pushed in a certain direction and it's credit to him," the manager added.

Confidence in the young forward

Also, Ange Postecoglou expressed his confidence in Tel's commitment to the club, affirming that the young Frenchman was thoroughly diligent in his decision-making.

"I am more than 100% sure because he took so much time, was so diligent about finding out everything," Postecoglou said, emphasising that Tel had other options but chose Spurs, which he believes shows the right mentality.

The manager also shared that he had spoken to Mathys Tel for 'a couple of hours' to help him feel at ease with his decision.

Ange Postecoglou concluded, "I got a sense pretty early on that there was a connection there and he was hearing what he wanted to hear.

"I think it is a credit to him that, rather than just jump at what came at him, he was very thorough in the way he made his decision."

As for Tel’s future at Spurs, Postecoglou made it clear that the 19-year-old would be a Tottenham player beyond the loan spell.