Crystal Palace frontman Jean-Philippe Mateta is considering quitting the club this month as he doubts the Eagles’ ambitions after several big departures already.
Jean-Philippe Mateta is looking for a way out of Crystal Palace (Image: Richard Lee/Shutterstock)
Jean-Philippe Mateta has told Crystal Palace he wants to leave because his ambitions do not align with the Eagles, with the club at risk of losing yet another key cog.
Already this month they sold Marc Guehi to Manchester City, with manager Oliver Glasner confirming his departure in the summer. Both of these announcements came on the same day, with the Selhurst Park side left to digest two heavy losses.
The Times reports that Mateta has now expressed his desire to move, claiming the club have not kept their promises to him regarding reinforcements and the terms of a potential new contract. Juventus are already thought to have rejected a January offer for the Frenchman as he wants to play regularly in Europe.
Palace will struggle to give him that opportunity, but that could be what drives his desire to move on. Juventus are confident Mateta, who is entering the final 18 months of his contract and has turned down an extension offer from the Eagles, wants to join the Eagles.
Selhurst Park bosses have had to deal with accusations of a lack of ambition. Glasner was not shy about saying he would like more support from the club following the FA Cup victory over Manchester City.
read more: Crystal Palace disband after Jean-Philippe Mateta submits transfer requestread more: Marc Guehy fans ridicule ‘mispurchase’ before transfer to Manchester City
He was adamant that Guehi must be kept, especially in the summer when talk of a move to Liverpool grew. He had already seen star man Eberechi Eze leave for Arsenal, but the Austrian manager slammed his boss after the defeat to Sunderland at the weekend.
“We feel abandoned, we don’t have any support,” Glasner said. “We’ve been playing with 12 or 13 guys for weeks now, and the bench is full of kids. They’ve never played in a stadium, and to see them in an atmosphere like this, it’s disappointing for everyone.”
Oliver Glasner leaves Crystal Palace at the end of the season (Image: Getty Images)
Mr. Glassner was also upset about the manner in which he was informed of Mr. Guehi’s departure for Manchester. “It’s hard to live when your heart is torn apart twice in a season, the day before the game, once with Eberechi (who was sold to Arsenal) in the summer, and now with Gehi, and that’s how I feel right now,” he said.
Glasner took his team to new heights during his time as Palace manager, but continued to watch his best players move on. Michael Oliseh was sold to Bayern Munich 18 months ago and the club’s face was gutted to make way for more talent.
The Eagles value Mateta, who has scored 46 goals in the past two-and-a-half seasons, at £35m.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£43
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
