The £30m Signing Surprising Omission from Tottenham’s Champions League Squad as Six Players Are Excluded

Mathys Tel, a recent £30 million summer signing from Bayern Munich, has been unexpectedly left out of Tottenham’s Champions League team roster. Despite his hefty transfer fee and past loan spell at Bayern, Tel was omitted from the squad submitted to UEFA.

In addition to Tel, players like Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, Yves Bissouma, Kota Takai, and James Maddison will also miss the competition. Tottenham faces a squad composition challenge, as UEFA’s regulations restrict the club to a maximum of four players trained domestically, forcing Tottenham to reduce their squad from 25 to 22 players.

Manager Thomas Frank faced a tough decision after making new signings, including Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani, during the transfer window’s final days. These arrivals meant some squad members had to be left out, including injured players like Maddison, who is sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury for most of the season.

While Maddison’s absence is clear-cut, others like Kulusevski, who is expected to return in December, and Dragusin, potentially back before October, are disappointed but protected from the temptation to play prematurely after their injuries. Frank has left injured players out of the squad to avoid risking their recovery during high-stakes matches.

Further squad adjustments are possible before the knockout stages commence in February, offering hope for those currently excluded. Bissouma, who hasn’t seen first-team action under Frank, may be sold amid transfer speculation, possibly to Fenerbahçe.

Meanwhile, Takai, signed from Kawasaki Frontale and still recovering from injury, anticipated his non-inclusion. The real blow, however, falls on Tel, who now faces fierce competition for positions in the team’s attacking lineup, particularly when fighting for playing time in central or left-sided roles.