Tottenham’s Mathys Tel identified as Porto’s dream Borja Sainz replacement

Mathys Tel's future at Tottenham Hotspur remains uncertain, and reports from Portugal suggest Porto have identified the French forward as their preferred replacement should Borja Sainz leave the club this summer.

The 21-year-old has been linked with a move away from north London in recent weeks despite only arriving permanently from Bayern Munich. Now, fresh claims from Portugal indicate Porto are positioning themselves for a potential move, although any deal appears dependent on another transfer being completed first.

According to Bola na Rede, citing transfer specialist Luís Pinto Coelho, Porto view Tel as their ideal successor to Borja Sainz.

The Spanish winger is attracting strong interest from Athletic Club, and Porto are understood to be open to selling him during the current transfer window. As a result, the Portuguese giants have already started assessing potential replacements.

Tel has emerged at the top of that shortlist.

Recent reports in Portugal suggested Porto were exploring the possibility of signing the Tottenham attacker, with a loan deal including an option to buy considered the most realistic structure.

For now, however, Porto's interest remains tied to developments surrounding Sainz.

The report makes it clear that any move for Tel would likely only accelerate if Athletic Club complete a deal for the Spanish winger. Porto would then have both the sporting need and additional financial flexibility to pursue a replacement.

Even then, significant obstacles remain.

Tottenham invested around €45m (£39m) to secure Tel from Bayern Munich and are unlikely to sanction a straightforward exit without terms that protect their position. Porto would also need to navigate the player's salary demands, which are viewed as another challenge in negotiations.

Porto are not the only club monitoring the situation.

Bournemouth continue to be credited with interest, while clubs in Turkey are also tracking developments. Elsewhere, Lille and Eintracht Frankfurt have both been linked with the France youth international as speculation surrounding his future continues to grow.

Having followed Tottenham's season closely, Tel's situation remains one of the more intriguing stories within the squad. Despite making 38 appearances across all competitions, he struggled to establish himself as an automatic starter and finished the campaign with four goals and two assists.

That return has done little to quieten questions about where he fits into Tottenham's long-term plans.

However, it remains too early to draw firm conclusions. Spurs only completed Tel's permanent signing recently, and the club may yet view another season as the best environment for his development.

Porto's pursuit of Tel appears likely to remain on hold until Borja Sainz's future becomes clearer. Athletic Club's interest could therefore prove crucial to any potential move.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are expected to assess interest from across Europe before making a final decision on the forward's future. With several clubs monitoring the situation, Tel's next step could become one of the more closely watched transfer stories of the summer.

Would a move to Porto be the right next step for Mathys Tel, or should Tottenham keep faith with the French forward for another season?