Crystal Palace striker, Jean-Philippe Mateta, has expressed his desire to leave the club. This announcement comes amidst growing interest from other Premier League teams and clubs across Europe.
Mateta, 28, still has 18 months left on his current contract with Crystal Palace. However, he has made it clear that he will not be signing an extension. Italian football powerhouse Juventus showed interest in acquiring the striker this month but fell short of meeting Crystal Palace's valuation of around £40m.
Aston Villa are another club that has been eyeing Mateta for some time now. They have also shown interest in making a move for him this month.
In light of these developments, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner admitted last week that the club is open to offers for their star striker. This news follows a series of significant changes within the team.
Crystal Palace manager, Oliver Glasner, said:
"There will be a price that Crystal Palace [accept], with 18 months left on his contract. We'd do the deal, if JP wants. If nobody pays that price, then he will stay,"
Recent changes at Selhurst Park
Crystal Palace had a victorious run earlier this year when they won the FA Cup trophy in May. However, they sold their star midfielder Eberechi Eze to Arsenal during summer and lost captain Marc Guehi this January after he joined Manchester City in a £20m deal.
Glasner announced last week that he would be leaving at the end of the season and launched a scathing attack on Crystal Palace’s recruitment strategy following Saturday’s loss against Sunderland - claiming that it felt like 'abandonment' by the team management. The recent shock exit from FA Cup at non-league Macclesfield earlier this month only added fuel to these criticisms about how things are being managed within Selhurst Park.
The future of Jean-Philippe Mateta at Crystal Palace remains uncertain as the striker seeks a move away from Selhurst Park. With interest from clubs like Juventus and Aston Villa, it will be interesting to see where Mateta lands next. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace is left grappling with significant changes within their team and criticisms about their recruitment strategy.
