Bayern Munich Signs 17-Year-Old Forward Tel in Transfer Worth Up to $30 Million

Tel leaves Rennes for the German champion, which sold Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona this summer.

MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich signed French teenager Mathys Tel from Rennes on Tuesday for a reported fee of up to 30 million euros ($30.6 million).

The 17-year-old Tel, who plays as a forward, had a contract with Rennes through 2024.

Bayern did not specify the length of the contract or disclose the transfer fee. Kicker magazine reported the German club was paying 15 million euros ($15.3 million) up front, with the rest conditional on appearances and achievements.

“He’s a very young talented player, he can play in many positions, center forward, wing forward. He’s very quick, strong, with his whole body, good at defending the ball … also good, deep runs,” Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said on the team’s U.S. tour last week. “I hope he will be comfortable with the group as soon as possible. He may score some goals.”

Nagelsmann said Tel was not a direct replacement for Bundesliga top-scorer Robert Lewandowski, who left for Barcelona in the offseason.

“He’s not a one-on-one for Lewy,” Nagelsmann said. "I think it’s normal when you talk about his age and his appearances in professional soccer. But he could one day be one of the best forwards and that’s our aim, our plan. We always try to find good young talented players who could develop into world-class players, and he could be one of these players.”

Tel made 10 appearances for Rennes without scoring. But his performances as a youth player — including winning the European under-17 championship as France captain last month — brought him to the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs.

“Tel is a very interesting player that we’ve been following for a long time,” Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn said recently. “An extremely good talent.”