Jean-Philippe Mateta is weighing a January exit from Crystal Palace, with Manchester United and Aston Villa circling the French striker’s availability.
According to Football Insider, Mateta’s future is concerning those at Crystal Palace, with the club mulling whether to sell or hold. Manchester United and Aston Villa are named as potential suitors for the prolific Frenchman, and the South London club must now decide whether to sell or hold.
Crystal Palace find themselves in a situation with one of their key performers akin to that of Marc Guehi last January. Like Guehi, who was in the final year of his deal and eventually sold to Manchester City, Mateta is now in the final year of his contract, attracting interest from big clubs after Palace chose to keep him this summer.
Now, there are some big clubs angling to sign Mateta ahead of January, with Crystal Palace left with a decision to either sell or keep the striker. Despite having a slow start to the new season, the 29-year-old striker has already showcased that he is their best option to lead the line ahead of Eddie Nketiah and Jorgen Strand Larsen.
The Europa League complication
Mateta remains central to Crystal Palace’s season, particularly in the Europa League. A January sale would recoup funds but compromise their league and European push. None of the interested clubs are expected to pay premium fees. Reports in the summer indicated Palace demanded £25 million from Aston Villa for Mateta, and they were unwilling to pay it then and unlikely to accept such demands in January.
Aston Villa do need a top-level forward this January to bolster their league and Champions League campaigns amid Tammy Abraham’s faltering form. Manchester United are also linked with Mateta, as the Red Devils are in the market to shore up their front line in the next window.
The injury to Benjamin Sesko has led Manchester United to seek a new striker from the market, and Mateta could be a target. The Frenchman has reportedly been open to leaving Palace since last January, and he could accept a move this winter.
For Crystal Palace, the calculation is financial versus sporting risk, and the answer may hinge on whether a January bid meets their valuation. The onus now lies with the South London outfit, whether financial need or sporting ambition will drive a sale in the January transfer window.