‘I don’t know’: £40m striker admits he might have played last game for his club as Arsenal prepare a bid

Arsenal have certainly intensified their efforts to sign a new striker for Mikel Arteta over the past 24 hours or so.

Against Girona in the Champions League, Arsenal were forced to play Leandro Trossard as a false nine given that Kai Havertz needed a rest.

Havertz was exhausted after beating Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, a player who will need to go again against Manchester City in a few days time.

That being said, Trossard was pretty ineffective against Girona, explaining why Arteta wants to recruit.

Arsenal’s Ollie Watkins bid appeared to have failed, a transfer that looks like a no-go following Jhon Duran’s proposed move to Saudi Arabia.

Therefore, Bayern Munich striker Mathys Tel could be the answer.

Mathys Tel asked whether he’s played his last game for Bayern Munich

Interestingly from Arsenal’s point of view, Tel seemed to wave goodbye to Bayern fans after making a rare start for his side in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.

Then, Tel actually spoke to German reporter Kerry Hau after the game, who directly asked the 19-year-old if he had just played his last game for the club.

Mathys Tel of Bayern Munich applauds the fans as he is substituted off during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 match between FC B...

Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images

Tel played 62 minutes on the left-wing for Bayern before being replaced by Kingsley Coman.

And when replying to the prospect of leaving the club, Tel’s three-word response perhaps offered a little bit of encouragement to interested clubs.

After shrugging his shoulders, Tel simply said: “I don’t know”, in reference to if that was his last game.

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Usually a player would refuse to comment in a situation like this, however, all roads seem to be pointing towards an exit for Tel.

Arsenal preparing their first offer for Mathys Tel

Such is the club’s interest, Arsenal are preparing a bid for Tel according to reports.

However, they are not the only Premier League club interested in the French under-21 international.

The likes of Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are also interested in a deal before Monday’s deadline.

Therefore, Arsenal may need to move quickly if they are going to steal the march on their rivals for a young talent who wasn’t expected to be available this month.

Arteta is thought to have a lot of admiration for Tel, and it’s interesting that the youngster can also operate on the left-wing, meaning he can play alongside Havertz if needed.

Furthermore, Tel could be available for £40m, explaining why so many teams are interesting in a deal before deadline day.