While new Tottenham signing Mathys Tel is eligible to play in the Europa League, Ange Postecoglou has a tricky decision on his hands.
Mathys Tel’s arrival adds much-needed firepower to Spurs
Much to the delight of Spurs fans, the North London club managed to secure Tel on loan during transfer deadline day, with an option to make the deal permanent for £45.7m in the summer.
The 19-year-old can operate across the front three and Postecoglou will hope that the newcomer adds goals to his frontline, which has blown hot and cold so far this season, with some big names underperforming.
The Frenchman’s addition could prove crucial as the Lilywhites look to push themselves back up the Premier League table and end their trophy drought.
Is Mathys Tel eligible to play for Tottenham in the Europa League?
One of the competitions that Spurs will concentrate on over the next few months is the Europa League, with the club waiting to see who they will face in the round of sixteen stage between Galatasaray, Real Sociedad, Midtjylland and AZ Alkmaar.
Football.London’s Alasdair Gold has now revealed that Tel will be able to play in Europe for Tottenham during the second half of the campaign despite featuring for Bayern in the Champions League this season.
However, he also adds that UEFA allow only three changes to be made to the Europa League squad for the knockout stages, which hands Postecoglou a big headache.
Ange Postecoglou facing big Europa League squad decision
Gold details the main issues that Postecoglou has to contend with while naming the Europa League squad for the next round.
He points out that Djed Spence was left out of the squad for the group stages, and Spurs have made three new signings in January in the form of Tel, Antonin Kinsky and Kevin Danso.
With only three changes being allowed to the squad, it means that Postecoglou can only include three out of those four players.
The journalists suggest that the injured Radu Dragusin could make way for Danso and that Kinsky might be drafted in to replace Fraser Forster.
Gold then speculates that Tel could make the list in the place of Timo Werner, but points out that in that case, Spence might once again have to miss out on the final cut.