Bayern Munich are not short of money and the budget at the Sabener Straße could certainly stretch beyond the €100 million mark if needs demanded in their search for a new striker. However, rather than splashing the cash on Randal Kolo Muani, Victor Osimhen or Harry Kane, perhaps the Rekordmeister should be looking to within for the answer to their search for a number nine.
Bayern’s outlay of €20 million last summer for then 17-year-old Mathys Tel raised some eyebrows- not because of the player’s potential, but the because of the fee. Bayern however were very confident that they had stolen a march on the rest of the European elite by snapping up the Stade Rennais teenager before he had even had the chance to cause a stir in Ligue 1.
His appearances have been limited this season as Bayern have looked to introduce him slowly, but he has already made a scoring impact at the club breaking records in the process. He scored in the DFB Pokal first round clash with Viktoria Köln and became Bayern’s youngest-ever Bundesliga scorer when he netted in the matchday 10 draw with VfB Stuttgart.
The French teenager has scored three subsequent league goals, although he has only be given a starting berth once amongst his nineteen appearances. The talent is definitely there otherwise he wouldn’t be where he is, but there is a feeling that Bayern perhaps need to have more faith and unleash him to get the most out of him.
There will be many observers saying he is too young and inexperienced, but cast your minds back to the very first game of the season when Eintracht Frankfurt sent on an inexperienced free signing they had just made from France and he duly scored against Manuel Neuer. Randal Kolo Muani has been given the chance at Eintracht and he has instantly bloomed into one of Europe’s most sought-after strikers with a €100+ million price tag attached. Bayern could very well have an even more valuable jewel already at their disposal in Mathys Tel- it is just going to take a leap of faith on the club’s part.
Julian Nagelsmann was reticent to play Tel and so far new coach Thomas Tuchel has followed suit. There has been talk of a potential loan move in order for the striker to gain the regular first-team action he needs.
There is an old saying in football that ‘if you are good enough, then you are old enough’. Age alone cannot be a barrier to Mathys Tel making the breakthrough at Bayern as Jamal Musiala has already shown. Bayern need a striker, they have the budget to sign a big name, but are they missing a trick in not putting more faith in Tel?
Perhaps the more prudent move would be for Bayern to avoid the ‘big’ names such as Kolo Muani, Kane and Osimhen and go for a mid-range option, who would be more suited to sharing the burden with Tel and allow the youngster to prove himself. Bayern spent big money on Tel for a reason, maybe faith rather than a headline signing would be the better option for Bayern.
