Without Harry Kane at Bayern Munich, the Mathys Tel story may well have been very different. Instead of fighting against one of the world's greatest strikers, he could have been lapping up the minutes and goals himself.

Tel, who arrived in Germany one year before Kane, was still only 17 at the time of his transfer. That explains why both Thomas Tuchel and Julien Nagelsmenn were eager to shield him and protect him.

In Tel's first year at Bayern he started just one league game, for example. Despite this, his limited exposure still brought about five Bundesliga goals and he was a regular from the bench.

It is during this period that Tel was also most commonly used as a striker, the position it seemed he was going to grow into after breaking onto the scene at Rennes as a 16-year-old. When Kane joined that all changed.

Instead of competing with an ageing Thomas Muller, Tel was instead fighting against Bayern's new £90million man. Kane, as usual, started every match and was rarely taken off as well.

Even with his age in mind, Kane joined at 30 and only with some minor fitness worries after being relentlessly available for Tottenham. It is more than just a correlation that Tel moved out to the wing last season once Kane arrived.

Still only 18 at the start of the 2023/24 campaign, Tel was looking to take things up a notch. He managed that, starting six league games and only going unused in four. He scored seven times and assisted five in that period, also bagging twice in the Champions League.

Although his total minutes last season fell below 1,500, for someone at this stage of their career it was a step forward. The continuation of that process hasn't followed, though, and is why Tottenham are among the interested parties able to bring him in this month.

Tel has decided it is time to leave Bayern. A permanent transfer is on the cards - so is a straight loan or one with an obligation to buy, for that matter - and Spurs are in the mix.

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As they seek to bring reinforcements into Ange Postecoglou's side, it is only fair to question what the immediate upgrade Tel could bring might be. As another teenage talent, this time one without regular football for six months behind him, there is understandable uncertainty.

However, if Kane's words are anything to go by - and the former Tottenham man is surely a good judge when it comes to attackers - then it's only good news. Speaking in 2023, Kane said: “He’s started the season really well. I like the way he trains. He’s always pushing himself and is fully committed.

“Every time he came in he made a difference and is very confident. We’ll need all players.” Tel, conversely, has huge respect for Kane and has learned a lot from being alongside the England captain.

“He’s a great striker," he said last season. "He has shown that across his career. I’m a striker too, so he’s a role model for me. It’s important to have people to learn from technically and in terms of finishing. Often I don’t even have to ask him.

“He just comes over to me and tells me, ‘Mathys, you can do that, or that.' He’s a role model to me, and he is helping me a lot.”

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