Ruben AmorimRuben Amorim
Ruben Amorim | Manchester United via Getty Imag
Manchester United and Crystal Palace have the chance to bring in some new signings this summer
Manchester United have another period of transition coming up and there is expected to be a lot of changes to their squad this summer. Ruben Amorim's side finished down in a disappointing 16th place in the table. Their hierarchy will be demanding much better next season in terms of league position and winning trophies.
As for Crystal Palace, they managed to get their hands on the FA Cup for the first time in their history. They beat Manchester City in the final at Wembley. Attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze scored their winner against Pep Guardiola’s men in the first-half and his team managed to hold on for their famous victory.
Manchester United should pursue Jean-Philippe Mateta
United need to freshen up their attacking ranks over the next couple of months with some new faces. Someone who would fit the bill for them is Crystal Palace striker Jean Philippe-Mateta. He is a very popular figure at Selhurst Park but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Eagles face a real battle to keep hold of him this summer.
Mateta, 27, is a proven goal scorer in the top flight and would be ideal for the Red Devils. He is a serious handful for opposition defenders and his pace and power causes massive issues for whoever he lines up against. His unorthodox approach to the game makes him a very unpredictable customer and that has worked in his favour over recent times.
If he joined United, he would give them something different to pick from at the top end of the pitch. It is safe to say that they don’t score enough and need some more quality in attack. Mateta is the type of player who would thrive off the service of Bruno Fernandes, who is staying put amid interest in him from Saudi Arabia which is a giant boost.
Crystal Palace signed Mateta in 2021 on an initial loan that was later made permanent. He initially struggled to hit form but soon started to find his feet. The former France youth international has scored 43 goals in 136 games in all competitions, 17 of which came in the last campaign.
Prior to his transfer to England, he spent three years in Germany at Mainz. He found the net on 27 occasion in 71 outings during his days in the Bundesliga. The forward has also played for LB Châteauroux, Lyon and Le Havre in the past.
Should Manchester United offer Rasmus Højlund as part of Crystal Palace swap deal?
United’s decision to bring in Rasmus Højlund back in 2023 hasn’t worked out just yet. Unlike Mateta, he hasn’t been able to make the impact he would have wanted to in front of goal over the past two years. As a result, his situation is up in the air and he has been linked with an exit.
If the Red Devils were to lodge an official approach for Mateta, they should try and tempt Crystal Palace into a sale by offering Højlund the other way in some capacity in a swap deal kind of arrangement. That means that both parties would benefit from the transaction and nobody would be left short changed.
A change of scene would probably do Højlund good for next term. His spell at United has turned stale and the pressure seems to be getting to him. Joining a team like the Eagles would help him get his confidence back and he would be guaranteed a place in their starting XI.
This is an exciting time to play for the south London club. They have a top manager in Oliver Glasner and there is a real feel good factor around the place at the moment after their FA Cup win. They are also in the Europa League now and will be looking to stamp their mark on that competition.
Højlund scored only four league goals this past season and missed a host of chances along the way. United will be weighing up what to do with him right now and if they are to get rid, using him as part of a swap deal makes sense. The Denmark international caught the eye in Italy at Atalanta before his move to his current club and fired 10 goals in 34 matches for the Italian side.
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