The 20-year-old forward initially arrived at Tottenham on loan during last winter’s transfer window, before the move was made permanent over the summer.
Capped at France Under-21 level, Tel joined with plenty of promise but has so far struggled to meet expectations in north London, finding it hard to secure a regular starting role. Even so, his potential continues to attract attention around Europe, with Serie A giants Roma among the clubs keeping a close watch on his situation.
It is understood that Tel would consider a move away from Spurs in pursuit of regular game time, while a future return to France with Paris FC remains a longer-term goal. Tottenham, however, are hesitant to let him leave during the current window, conscious of further depleting their attacking depth at a time when options are already limited. The club have sanctioned Brennan Johnson’s switch to Crystal Palace, and losing Tel as well would further reduce Thomas Frank’s attacking resources.
Roma are eager to bolster their forward line, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini pushing for additions. As reported by Gazzetta dello Sport (via Tutto Mercato Web), sporting director Frederic Massara has intensified efforts to land the young attacker.
Tel has featured from the start in Spurs’ last three Premier League fixtures and found the net against Bournemouth earlier in January. However, Frank recently omitted him from Tottenham’s Champions League squad to accommodate Dominic Solanke. The youngster has previously admitted that adjusting to the Premier League’s physicality has been challenging since his move from Bayern Munich.
A potential transfer to Roma could be appealing, particularly with the Giallorossi currently fourth in Serie A and firmly in the title race.
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s domestic form remains a concern, having managed just one win in their last seven league matches. Pressure is mounting on Frank, with a growing portion of the fanbase unconvinced by the former Brentford manager.
