With a move potentially on the cards for Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, hints about his future destination have been revealed.
With January quickly approaching, many players are being linked to potential transfers this winter. One name that has been mentioned consistently since the summer is Jean-Philippe Mateta. After a very successful season with Crystal Palace, winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Europa Conference League, the Frenchman has attracted interest from various top clubs around Europe.
Manchester United were on the lookout for a goal scorer in the summer and were linked with Mateta briefly. However, it seemed as though Mateta would stay at Selhurst Park for this campaign and commit his future by signing a new contract with the Eagles.
Mateta has begun this season in the same prolific form as the last, but he is yet to put pen to paper on a new contract. His current deal expires in the summer of 2027, which means that it is likely that Palace would opt to sell the striker this summer to avoid losing him for free the following year.
Aged 28, Mateta recently received his first international call-up to the France national team. Last season, he found the back of the net 17 times in all competitions for the Eagles and has began this season with the same momentum, netting nine times already.
With contract talks stalling, many top clubs have been alerted to the Frenchman’s situation. United could be in the market for a more experienced striker to accompany Benjamin Sesko so links makes a lot of sense, but transfer journalist Ben Jacobs has provided an update on where Mateta is most likely to go if a move does materialise.
Italy Mateta’s “most likely destination”
A move to Old Trafford could potentially be a good fit for Mateta, but it is unclear whether United will target another striker in the upcoming windows. There have been suggestions that Ruben Amorim is keen to add a more experienced goal scorer to his squad but a move for the Palace striker seems unlikely.
In the summer, Mateta was linked to a move to Serie A, with AC Milan heavily rumoured. These links have carried over to this season and Ben Jacobs confirmed the interest from Italy when speaking on the United Stand.
“My understanding is Mateta is reluctant to sign anything at this point, but equally as reluctant to jump ship mid-season,” he said.
“I’m not so sure he’ll leave Crystal Palace for a Premier League club, so I’m told he’ll listen to Palace’s offer, he might see where they are at the end of the season, but if he’s to go, and it is an if, I’m told Serie A is actually the destination to watch, and Milan, in particular, are really keen.”
This suggests that Mateta’s head might not be turned if one of the bigger English clubs come knocking and that a move to Italy would appeal more to him. If he is made available at the end of the season, it will be no surprise when there is a long line of potential suitors fighting for his signature.
Mateta to United makes sense
There have been reports that Mateta believes he is ready to make the step up, although Crystal Palace’s rise cannot be understated. The South Londoners have been in impressive form since Oliver Glasner’s arrival, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield, but they could be forced to sell their star striker in the summer.
Although Mateta’s first few years in England were difficult, he has developed into one of the league’s most clinical finishers. At 6′ 4”, Mateta is a huge aerial presence but his strength and pace make him even more difficult to defend. His finishing has improved a lot in recent seasons and it is clear that his confidence is at an all-time high under Glasner.
Back in the summer, Amorim’s team were linked to a number of strikers, and to follow the trend of their first two signings, some thought they would look to target a Premier League experienced goal scorer. This was also hinted at when links to Mateta and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins arose, but the club chose to bring in an exciting prospect in Sesko instead.
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Sesko’s first season in England’s top flight has been challenging as of yet. The Slovenian has scored two goals so far and has shown occasional flashes of brilliance, but it is clear he could use some help up top. United offloaded Rasmus Hojlund to Napoli, leaving Sesko as the only natural centre forward in the first team and at 22 years old, a more experienced head could improve the team and also play a big part in his development.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Mateta’s future, with lots of interest across Europe. Now part of France’s exciting squad, this could be the perfect time for United to act. Mateta’s presence, goal scoring and swagger would make him a valuable asset to any team and this is the kind of player Manchester United should be targeting.
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