Mateta is on fireMateta is on fire
Mateta is on fire | Getty Images
Man United have been linked with signing a Crystal Palace star, who’s been priced at £40 million.
Crystal Palace’s task in the summer will be to keep hold of some of their top players. Last season they lost Michael Olise to Bayern Munich, and this year they could have more interest in their stars.
Manchester United are set to sign a striker in the summer transfer window as Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund have struggled under Ruben Amorim this season. The pair have combined for just five Premier League goals.
They have been linked with a Crystal Palace attacker, and could make a move for him in the summer transfer window.
United told to pass on Mateta
The Red Devils have been linked with Palace striker Jean Philippe-Mateta, with reports emerging last week which suggested that they have stepped up their efforts to scout the Frenchman.
Mateta has scored 12 goals in 27 Premier League games this season, and since the new year, has been one of the most in-form strikers in Europe for Oliver Glasner’s side. His performances have reportedly attracted the interest of United, who he scored two against during Palace’s trip to Old Trafford last month. However, they have now been told that Mateta will flop if he moves to Manchester.
Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney has said that Mateta is not the answer for Amorim and United. He told TalkSPORT: “He’s not the answer for Palace. So why is he going to be the answer for Manchester United?
“I think Jean is a very good player, by the way, but he’s a very good player at Crystal Palace. I was a very good player at Watford. Going to the levels of these big clubs is completely different. But I would argue that Palace’s No 10s are better than what Manchester United have got currently. So I think he’s going through a good vein of form because Palace are in a good moment. No one was saying they should have signed him in pre-season.”
Mateta signed for Palace in January 2022 for a fee of £9.2 million. He has since scored 44 goals in 139 games at Selhurst Park.
Palace set to receive heavy transfer interest
Mateta isn’t the only Palace player that has been subject to transfer interest recently with several Eagles due to receive interest in the summer window. Centre-back Marc Guehi has been subject to bids from both Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United in the past two transfer windows. The bids were expected to be around £70 million, and Palace could see more in the summer.
Chelsea have also been linked to the defender who came through the academy at Stamford Bridge before moving to Palace. Furthermore, midfielder Adam Wharton has been linked to several big clubs in recent weeks. Arsenal and Manchester United are said to be keen on the former Blackburn star, and Real Madrid have also been linked. Wharton joined Palace in 2024 for a fee of £17.6m. He could command a hefty price tag in the summer due to his potential aged 21.
In other news, Crystal Palace are due to open contract talks with one of their major stars amid the recent transfer interest.