Mathys Tel stepped up and delivered during Tottenham Hotspur’s injury crisis and played a key role in keeping the club in the Premier League last season, but his future at N17 appears uncertain at the moment.

The Frenchman was heavily linked with an exit from Spurs during the summer transfer window, especially after the arrivals of attackers Savio and Omar Marmoush from Manchester City. Galatasaray reportedly submitted a loan proposal for the young forward in August, but Tottenham had no intention to part ways with him. As a result, a move did not materialise.

Mathys Tel demonstrated flashes of his potential in his first full season in North London, recording five goals and two assists across 40 appearances in all competitions. After an 18-month adaptation period, he was expected to improve his decision-making and end product in the final third. However, that hasn’t really been visible to the naked eye of the supporters, with Roberto De Zerbi infamously confronting the player after the 0-0 draw with Everton.

Mathys Tel emerged as a target for Serie A club

The France Under-21 international has continued to struggle to make an impact, failing to register a single goal involvement across his six appearances so far. He was an unused substitute against Manchester United last weekend, as De Zerbi opted to bring on the likes of James Maddison, Mateus Fernandes and Omar Marmoush ahead of Tel to add cutting edge to Tottenham’s attack.

Now, speculation surrounding the youngster’s future at Tottenham is once again intensifying. According to Italian outlet Area Napoli, Napoli have identified Tel as a potential option to improve their attack during the winter transfer window. The Serie A club consider Tel ‘the ideal target due to his extreme tactical versatility’, with his ability to operate across the front line making the 21-year-old an enticing option.

With Tel having dropped the pecking order and currently struggling for minutes, he could consider a move to Napoli if they decide to formalise their interest. He was not included in the squad that faced Aston Villa before the break, and the versatile attacker remained an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw with Man United.

This is despite the Sarcelles-born talent scoring a hat-trick for the France Under-21 side in a 7–1 win against Switzerland in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier during the past international break.

Tottenham have no plans to let Tel go

Recent reports suggest Spurs have no immediate plans to sanction Tel’s exit. De Zerbi continues to have faith in the French starlet, despite his well-documented struggles this season.

Frustrations remain within the fanbase regarding the player’s inconsistency in performing at Premier League level. Bar flashes of his potential, Tel is yet to show the talent regularly that made him such a coveted commodity during his time at Bayern Munich. Nonetheless, De Zerbi and the club very much believe in the player and do not want to let him go, either on loan or permanently.

At 21 and with an entire career ahead of him, Tel must continue to work hard and continue developing at Tottenham.