Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi is reportedly still backing 21 year star who hasn’t lived up to expectations, despite the young French forward’s disappointing start to the new Premier League campaign. However, the 21-year-old must begin turning that confidence into consistent performances if he hopes to establish himself as an important member of the Italian manager’s plans in North London.
Spurs showed tremendous fighting spirit in their recent encounter with Manchester United, refusing to surrender even after finding themselves a goal behind and reduced to ten men. Just when it appeared that De Zerbi’s men would leave Old Trafford empty-handed, Dominic Solanke stepped up in stoppage time to score a dramatic equaliser.
The Tottenham striker battled with Lisandro Martinez inside the penalty area before getting his head to the ball and sending it into the net, sparking wild celebrations among the travelling supporters. It was a moment that demonstrated the determination within De Zerbi’s squad, even as the team continues to search for greater consistency in its performances.
Nevertheless, the dramatic ending also raised questions about Tottenham’s attacking options and the players De Zerbi trusts when the pressure is at its highest. While several attacking changes were introduced during the match, Tel remained on the bench despite arriving in England on the back of an impressive international break with France Under-21s.
Mathys Tel’s Tottenham struggles continue despite international success
Tel had every reason to believe that the 2026-27 campaign could become a turning point in his Tottenham career. The young attacker has the technical ability, pace and versatility to become a dangerous forward in the Premier League, and De Zerbi’s reputation for developing attacking players offered him hope of making significant progress.
Unfortunately, things have not unfolded as expected.
The former Bayern Munich youngster has struggled to make a meaningful impact during Tottenham’s difficult opening weeks of the season. Despite being given opportunities to demonstrate his quality, he has yet to register a goal or assist in his four Premier League appearances.
For a player hoping to establish himself as a regular starter, that lack of end product is becoming increasingly concerning.
Tel’s difficulties have also coincided with Tottenham’s wider problems in attack. The Lilywhites have struggled to turn possession and promising attacking positions into goals, placing additional pressure on their forwards to deliver when opportunities arise.
With the team desperate for improvement, De Zerbi needs his attacking players to provide more than occasional moments of individual brilliance. They must make better decisions in the final third, create opportunities for their teammates and demonstrate the composure required to punish opposition defences.
Unfortunately for Tel, he has yet to convince the Italian manager that he can consistently deliver those qualities at the highest level.
His performances during the early part of the campaign reportedly left De Zerbi questioning aspects of his decision-making. The Tottenham boss is understood to have raised concerns about the Frenchman’s choices on the pitch in September, highlighting an area of his game that requires considerable improvement.
The situation became more difficult when Tel was omitted from the Tottenham squad for the match against Aston Villa before the extended international break.
That decision was a clear indication that the youngster needed to respond positively if he wanted to regain his place in the manager’s plans.
### Five goals for France Under-21s, but no opportunity against Manchester United
One of the most interesting aspects of Tel’s current situation is the contrast between his struggles at club level and his impressive performances for France Under-21s.
The 21-year-old enjoyed a productive international break, scoring five goals for his country and reminding everyone of the attacking potential that made him such an exciting prospect.
Those performances would naturally have boosted his confidence and given Tottenham supporters hope that he could return to club football with renewed energy.
However, his international form was not enough to convince De Zerbi to introduce him against Manchester United.
When Tottenham needed additional creativity and attacking sharpness in the second half, the Italian manager opted to turn to players such as Omar Marmoush, James Maddison and Mateus Fernandes.
Tel watched from the substitutes’ bench as his teammates attempted to find a breakthrough against United’s defence.
For a young forward who had just scored five goals during the international break, being overlooked in such an important fixture would undoubtedly have been disappointing.
Nevertheless, De Zerbi’s decision also highlights the difference between performing well at international youth level and earning the trust of a Premier League manager.
Scoring goals for France Under-21s is a positive achievement, but Tottenham need Tel to reproduce that effectiveness against senior opposition. His challenge is to show that his finishing, movement and attacking instincts can translate into meaningful contributions in England’s top flight.
The manager must also consider tactical discipline, defensive responsibilities and the ability to make the correct decisions under pressure. Those qualities can determine whether a young attacker becomes a regular starter or remains an occasional option from the bench.
### De Zerbi still believes in Tel despite his difficult start
According to a report from French outlet Foot Mercato, De Zerbi has not given up on Tel and continues to have faith in the young forward despite his recent difficulties.
That reported support could prove crucial for the player’s development.
At just 21, Tel still has considerable time to improve, learn from his mistakes and become a more complete attacker. A difficult opening to the season does not necessarily mean that his Tottenham career is heading in the wrong direction.
However, faith from the manager must eventually be rewarded with performances.
De Zerbi has made it clear through his selection decisions that reputation alone will not guarantee anybody a place in his starting eleven. Tottenham’s attacking department contains several players competing for limited opportunities, and the Italian must choose the options he believes give his team the best chance of winning matches.
Tel therefore faces a difficult challenge. He must rebuild his confidence, improve his decision-making and demonstrate that he can offer something different to the attacking players currently ahead of him.
The report suggests that the forward is struggling with confidence, which could help explain why his performances have not reached the level expected of him.
Confidence is particularly important for attacking players. A forward who begins doubting his decisions can become hesitant in front of goal, delay passes, take on fewer defenders and struggle to make the most of promising positions.
For Tel, the solution will be to combine hard work on the training ground with greater composure when opportunities arrive.
If De Zerbi continues to support him, the youngster will have an opportunity to prove that he deserves a more prominent role. But he cannot afford to allow the current situation to continue indefinitely, especially with competition for places becoming increasingly intense.
### Tottenham have no immediate plans to abandon the young Frenchman
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his playing time, there is no clear indication that Tottenham are preparing to part ways with Tel in the immediate future.
His reported continued backing from De Zerbi suggests that the club remains interested in seeing whether the youngster can fulfil his potential.
That would be understandable given his age, versatility and previous displays of quality.
Tel has demonstrated that he possesses the technical ability to trouble defenders, and there have been occasions when his pace and attacking instincts have offered encouraging glimpses of what he could become.
The problem is consistency.
Tottenham supporters want to see a forward who can make a difference over the course of a match rather than someone who produces isolated moments without influencing the final result.
The frustration is particularly understandable given the team’s difficulties in front of goal. When a club is struggling to create and convert chances, every attacking player is expected to contribute to the solution.
Tel has yet to establish himself as a dependable option in De Zerbi’s starting eleven, and his lack of Premier League goal contributions has made his situation more complicated.
The young Frenchman has accumulated only 259 minutes across four league appearances, leaving him with limited opportunities to build momentum. Although that relatively small amount of playing time must be considered when assessing his performances, he still needs to make the most of the chances he receives.
A substitute appearance can sometimes provide the perfect opportunity for a forward to change a game, particularly when opposition defenders are tiring. Tel must be ready to seize those moments whenever they arrive.
If he can begin producing goals and assists, the conversation surrounding his future could quickly change.
Competition for attacking places could become a major problem
Another significant factor working against Tel is the competition within Tottenham’s attacking department.
Players such as Savinho, Marmoush and Mohammed Kudus are among the options competing for attacking roles, while Maddison and Fernandes provide further possibilities when De Zerbi wants to introduce creativity and technical quality.
With so many players competing for minutes, Tel cannot expect opportunities to arrive simply because he is young or has impressed for France.
He needs to demonstrate that he can contribute more effectively than the alternatives available to his manager.
The situation could become even more complicated because Tottenham are no longer balancing domestic football with European competition. Following their early elimination from the EFL Cup against Liverpool, Spurs are expected to play just one fixture per week until the FA Cup begins in January.
Without the additional demands of European football, De Zerbi will have fewer matches in which to rotate his squad and provide opportunities to players who are struggling for minutes.
That schedule could make it harder for Tel to find regular playing time, particularly if the players ahead of him continue to perform well.
For the manager, the challenge will be to keep his squad motivated while maintaining the strongest possible team. For Tel, it means every training session and substitute appearance could become increasingly important.
He must convince De Zerbi that he deserves more responsibility before the competition for places becomes even more difficult.
What happens next for Mathys Tel at Tottenham?
Tel’s situation presents an important test for both the player and his manager.
De Zerbi must decide how best to develop a talented young attacker who appears to be struggling with confidence, while Tel must respond to the support he is reportedly receiving by producing better performances.
There is no doubt that the Frenchman possesses potential, but potential alone will not secure his future at a club with Tottenham’s ambitions.
He needs to improve his decision-making, become more effective in front of goal and show greater consistency whenever he is given an opportunity.
The upcoming weeks could therefore prove decisive in determining whether he can work his way back into De Zerbi’s plans.
If Tel begins scoring regularly and demonstrates that he can handle the physical and tactical demands of Premier League football, he could still turn his season around. His international performances have already shown that he is capable of finding the net when confidence is high.
However, if his playing time remains limited and his contribution in the final third fails to improve, questions about his role in the squad are likely to return.
For now, the message is relatively clear: De Zerbi has reportedly not lost faith in Mathys Tel, but the young forward must start rewarding that trust.
Tottenham need goals, creativity and consistency from their attacking players. Tel has the opportunity to become part of the solution, but he must show that he is ready to take the next step in his development.
His five-goal international break offered a reminder of his potential. The challenge now is to make that promise count in a Tottenham shirt.
