Arsenal Muscle Manchester United As Gunners Potentially Seal Striker Transfer

Arsenal’s hopes of a deadline day deal could depend on Mathys Tel.

The Bayern Munich forward appears to be their last option to get a deal done before the window shuts. Bayern are open to allowing the French starlet to leave but would prefer a permanent deal or a loan with an obligation to buy.

Manchester United want a pure loan and remain interested if that becomes available. It appears to be Tel or bust at this stage for Arsenal unless a late offer comes in. But Arsenal are still talking with Mikel Arteta, always reluctant to invest time and money in a player to get nothing back at the end, so would like a loan to lead to something.

Arsenal have plans in the summer and Tel could affect that but also need a boost now despite their 5-1 win over Manchester City. They have looked at other options in this window but a move for a short-term centre forward has yet to come off.

Tel, 19, has already turned down Tottenham who agreed a £50million move and he is thought to favour a loan deal unless the right long-term option comes up. Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund issued an update regarding the France under-21 international on Saturday, with Tel having been left out of their squad to face Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga.

“We’re talking a lot with him,” Freund said. “A lot’s been going on with the young lad in the past few days. He’s only 19. We decided together with him yesterday that there’s a lot on his mind, so it makes no sense for him to be involved today.

“That was discussed very openly with him. But that doesn’t mean anything. There’s a lot going on right now. Lots of clubs are interested in Mathys. He just needs to think about things today and tomorrow.”

Fellow Bayern chief Max Eberl revealed that Tel had initially planned to fight for his place under Vincent Kompany, who handed him a rare start last week in the Champions League. “Mathys decided at the time [in December] that he wanted to stay, that he wanted to assert himself. Now Mathys comes along and says that he can imagine doing something,” Eberl explained.