Tottenham Hotspur are in discussions with Bayern Munich over the permanent transfer of forward Mathys Tel. Tel, 19, has been on the margins of the Bayern squad since arriving from Rennes in 2022, and is seeking a move away from Allianz Arena in pursuit of playing time.

Tottenham are set to rival Chelsea and a number of clubs across Europe in the race to sign for Mathys Tel after he pushed for a transfer away from Bayern Munich, sources have told ESPN.

The UEFA Champions League's first-ever league phase came to a dramatic close on Wednesday, setting up for an equally entertaining knockout stage that begins in two weeks' time. The introduction of the new format means the Champions League will introduce a new phase of competition in February when 16 teams will take part in the knockout round playoffs.

Manchester City face an intriguing Champions League last 16 play-off tie against either title holders Real Madrid or five-time winners Bayern Munich. That is already known because all 24 teams that have advanced from the league phase are placed in a tennis-like bracket for the first time - showing a team's potential path towards the May 31 final in Munich.