For the entirety of the 2025/26 Premier League and Champions League seasons, Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been infuriated with new manager Thomas Frank for a myriad of legitimate reasons, but no one singular issue has honestly baffled the fan base more than Frank's treatment of gem left winger Mathys Tel.
Signed permanently at a discount price from Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich this past summer transfer window after showing he was fully COYS on loan and winning the Europa League to boot, Tel has looked like Spurs most promising young attacking force - even above Wilson Odobert, who has come around as a real star player on the right wing with Mohammed Kudus injured.
But every time Tel scores an important goal or has an awesome performance that turns heads around the fan base, Frank has pulled the rug out from underneath the Frenchamn. Inexplicably, Spurs have never been able to capitalize on any of Tel's momentum or help him develop with opportunities, even though he is by far and away their best left wing option.
Mathys Tel was ready to take matters in his own hands
So Mathys Tel, with the World Cup on the horizon, was prepared to take matters in to his own hands by demanding a loan transfer out for the final six months of the 2025/26 season. And although the Tottenham Hotspur front office was adamantly refusing to let Tel leave on loan, fans were simply wondering how long that would last as the snubs for Tel continued in spite of the obvious threat of a transfer away.
Now, it looks like Mathys Tel will be staying for the time being with no loan expected as the transfer deadline approaches. According to a report from RMC Sport's Fabrice Hawkins, Tel and Thomas Frank actually had a conversation together about his future, which Frank appreciated. Tel went up to Frank and told him he was disgruntled with his lack of playing time and that he doubted even continuing with Tottenham at all because of his lack of minutes and importance.
Per Hawkins, Frank is said to have understood that and been impressed with how forthright the young forward was with him. Now, Tel himself wants to continue with Tottenham and has changed his mind, seeing some more minutes headed his way in the Premier League from Frank.
So Frank has finally done one good thing by Tel in convincing him to stay. He needs to keep feeding more and more minutes, and this has to be the start of Frank treating his young talent better than what he was doing before.