Glasner has kept the player out of the teamplaceholder image
Glasner has kept the player out of the team | AFP via Getty Images
Crystal Palace could end up missing out on a big fee ahead of the deadline.
Crystal Palace could end up keeping one of their star men after a fresh update ahead of Monday’s January transfer deadline. The window closes at 7pm on Monday evening, and clubs must wrap up their business before that point.
It has been a turbulent month for the Eagles, who lost Marc Guehi earlier on in the month, months before they expected to lose their club captain, and then Oliver Glasner announced he would be leaving at the end of the season.
Jean-Philippe Mateta then asked to leave, and all that came amid a poor run of form that saw the Eagles drop into relegation contention, although they should have enough points banked to get to safety without too many issues.
Palace picked up a valuable point against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, and while that might have looked like an expected win earlier in the season, all points are welcome and important in equal measure based on recent form.
On the back of that draw, it has emerged that Mateta could be left at Palace beyond the deadline, with the striker having been forced to be patient over a deal. The striker was not involved on Sunday due to not being in the right headspace, according to Glasner, although there is a business reality to where clubs don’t typically risk getting players involved in big deals injured when talks are at an advanced stage.
It’s claimed Milan are now in doubt over whether they will go ahead with the deal due to Christopher Nkunku refusing to leave. Nkunku, who has four goals in 16 league games, was being linked with a move to Roma or Fenerbahce, but he does not look likely to leave.
Milan are now in said to be in doubt over whether they will sign Mateta now or wait until the summer. If they choose the latter, they may be beaten to the punch ahead of this deadline, with a number of clubs said to have shown serious interest in the Palace striker.
Why Mateta did not play
Explaining why Mateta was left out against Forest, Glasner said: "It is nothing to do right now with the transfers. He is not in the [right] place. To play makes no sense. We have to protect the team and I have to protect him. That is why he will not travel with us to Nottingham."
Glasner added: "Again, there is so much noise, so much speculation, so many things going on. We need every single player at their best and JP [Mateta] isn't at his best right now with all the noise that happens.
"It can be football noise, but if someone has private issues where they can't focus on football, then it makes no sense to play. He can't help the team and perform at his top level. We decided it is better not to play him."
Continue Reading