When it comes to incomings in the January transfer window, Manchester United have not been very busy. The Red Devils have made just two signings so far, bringing two defenders into the club.
They have signed Patrick Dorgu from Lecce and Ayden Heaven from Arsenal, with several players, including Antony and Marcus Rahford, leaving the club on loan for the remainder of the season.
Ayden Heaven (Arsenal)
Undisclosed
Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa)
Loan
Patrick Dorgu (Lecce)
£29.3m
Antony (Real Betis)
Loan
Ethan Ennis (Doncaster)
Loan
Daniel Gore (Rotherham)
Loan
Joe Hugill (Carlisle)
Loan
Ethan Wheatley (Walsall)
Loan
Ethan Williams (Cheltenham)
Loan
However, they are reportedly trying to add another attacking player to the squad on deadline day.
Man United target late attacking addition
According to a report from Nathan Salt of The Mail, INEOS are still looking to bring Bayern Munich star Mathys Tel to the club. The journalist reported that the deal remains on ‘despite the deal stalling overnight’, with talks ‘continuing’ regarding a potential late swoop.
The type of deal that could be struck is currently unclear. The Red Devils reportedly wanted a loan, but the Bundesliga side instead wanted a permanent deal, or at least a temporary move with a buy clause, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.
Why Tel would be a good signing
It has been a slow season for Tel in 2024/25, hence his desire to leave the Allianz Arena. Under Vincent Kompany, he has managed just eight games across all competitions, a total of just 458 minutes – which is equivalent to just five full 90-minute games.
However, last season, in 2023/24, the 19-year-old really showed what he can do. The Frenchman once again struggled for regular starts, playing just 1406 minutes, equal to 16 full 90-minute games.
However, he managed to score ten times and grab six assists across competitions, averaging a goal involvement per game. As football talent scout Jacek Kulig explained, he is a “very special” footballer.
If Tel was to join the Red Devils on transfer deadline day, he could be the second coming of Anthony Martial. There are certainly similarities between the two players, not least because they are both talented French attackers who would be making the move to Old Trafford on deadline day at 19 years of age.
Martial was sensational in his first season at United, where he scored 17 goals and grabbed eight assists in 49 appearances, helping his side to win the FA Cup, scoring the winner in the semi-final against Everton.
Aside from the French links between the pair, you can also see some comparisons between Tel’s Sofascore statistics last season, and the numbers Martial put up in his first campaign at Old Trafford in 2015/16, courtesy of Sofascore.
For example, they both have a good conversion rate, with Tel averaging 16% and the former United number nine averaging slightly more, at 19%. They are also both chance-creation specialists, with the Bayern star creating six big chances last season compared to Martial’s eight big chances during his first campaign in that famous Red shirt.
If this is to be a deal that United get over the line today, they will certainly be hoping Tel can have a similar impact as Martial in his first year and beyond. Of course, injuries affected the former Monaco star, but he was simply unstoppable when fully fit, as the early stats show.
This could be a fantastic attacking addition for INEOS and United, to bolster their options and help them climb the Premier League table.
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1 ByEthan LambFeb 2, 2025
