Oliver Glasner, Manager of Crystal Palace and Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa react during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Crystal Palace at Villa Park on August 31, 2025 in Birmingham, England. (placeholder image
Oliver Glasner, Manager of Crystal Palace and Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa react during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Crystal Palace at Villa Park on August 31, 2025 in Birmingham, England. ( | Getty Images
Crystal Palace’s resolve is set to be tested in January with Premier League rivals circling for one of their top talents
Three Premier League rivals are planning to test Crystal Palace’s resolve in the January transfer window with ‘formal offers’ for striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, it has been reported.
The Eagles striker enjoyed an impressive 2024-25 campaign with 17 goals and four assists in 46 appearances across all competitions. More intense interest in the 28-year-old was expected during the summer but nothing serious materialised.
The Frenchman has three goals so far this season, scoring in the Premier League, Community Shield and Europa Conference League. He is under contract until the summer of 2027 but according to Caught Offside talks over a new deal have come to standstill, with the latest set of negotiations branded as “unproductive”.
Keeping Mateta is important for the Eagles, especially after Eberechi Eze made the move to Arsenal in August.
Newcastle United, Leeds United and Aston Villa interested in Jean-Philippe Mateta
Newcastle signed two strikers late in the transfer window as they agreed a £125m deal with Liverpool for Alexander Isak while Calum Wilson was released at the end of last season. Eddie Howe will need more squad depth as the campaign wears on with the Magpies competing in the Champions League.
Aston Villa are also in Europe as they compete in the Europa League this season. They have endured a tough start to the campaign and Unai Emery is said to want more depth.
Leeds United, meanwhile, could be viewed as a step down for Mateta with the West Yorkshire club only newly-promoted and tipped to be among the sides battling relegation this season. However, they are eager to add a potent attacker to their forward ranks as they look to survive in the Premier League.
The report also adds that Palace want £40m for Mateta, as they have “significantly increased their valuation in light of growing interest from rival clubs”.
Jean-Philippe Mateta is ‘amazing’ in the box
The striker scored twice back in early February as Palace won 2-0 at Old Trafford against Manchester United. After the game, manager Glasner said: "We don't always talk because he knows what we demand of him. With his two goals today, he is amazing in the box.
"He has the feeling that a number nine must have in the box. He makes so many runs where he doesn't get the ball. You need to suffer as a striker because you make so many runs where you don't get the ball. He gets the reward and it decides the game for us."
He did criticise the striker publicly towards the end of last season, as he hooked the Frenchman at half-time in a 5-2 loss to Manchester City. The game was 2-2 when Mateta came off after the Eagles surrendered a 2-0 lead before going on to lose 5-2.
“It was a tactical decision,” explained Glasner after the loss.
“Now, I have to say it was the wrong decision. Not taking him off, but changing the formation to a 3-5-2. We wanted to control the midfield more, but it didn’t work. Subbing him wasn’t a mistake, he can do better than he did in the first half. He lost too many duels and balls. That’s why we decided to change something.
“The mistake I made was to change the system, not subbing JP.”
Continue Reading