Tel’s first few months at Spurs after joining on loan from Bayern Munich have been both interesting and, it has to be said, at best inconclusive. His first game was a 4-0 Carabao thrashing at Anfield, and his last a 4-1 defeat to Brighton that briefly interrupted Spurs’ Europa League celebrations on the final day.

Even after a transfer fee had been agreed between Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich, even after personal terms had been finalised, the deal still wasn't done. Why? Spurs and Bayern were settling ...