Crystal Palace have been advised to cash in on Jean-Philippe Mateta to help fund a rebuild after losing Marc Guehi to Manchester City.
Mateta is attracting interest from Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest this month after telling Palace he is open to taking on a new challenge.
Crystal Palace could sell Mateta amid Villa, Forest transfer interest
The 28-year-old has been a revelation at Selhurst Park, scoring 40 goals in 93 appearances under Oliver Glasner and helping the Eagles in the FA Cup last season.
Mateta is under contract until 2027 and turns 29 in June, so Palace value him at around £40million, with reports suggesting Forest are willing to pay £35m.
Sean Dyche is looking for more firepower in attack as Chris Wood struggles to overcome a knee injury, and Mateta would be a superb signing as Forest look to go far in the Europa League and avoid Premier League relegation.
However, losing the Frenchman would be a colossal blow to Palace’s ambitions this season, especially after selling Ebere Eze to Arsenal last summer and club captain Guehi to Man City in January.
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It could be the final straw for head coach Glasner, who has confirmed he won’t renew his contract beyond the end of 2025/26.
Glasner has publicly criticised the club’s ownership, claiming he has been left “abandoned” by a lack of backing in the transfer market, yet it has been claimed that Palace should cash in to help fund a rebuild.
Former Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness believes £40m should suffice for the Londoners and has advised them to “take it, move on and rebuild as best they can.”
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I think Palace are the sort of club that will do that rebuild and have to, you know, redevelop themselves again.
“So they’ve got a chance to do it, they’ve got rich talent, they’ve done it before.
“One of these days it isn’t going to work, but certainly at that sort of level, if they get £40million for Mateta right now, I think they should take it, move on and rebuild as best they can.
“And at some stage they’re going to have to hang on to some talent, but maybe not this season is the right one to do it.”
Palace ‘prepared’ to sell Mateta in January
Meanwhile, ex-Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown has also said Palace are prepared to accept a bid for Mateta.
“I believe Crystal Palace are prepared to let him go,” Brown told Football Insider.
“To a large extend, it’s been taken out of their hands because he’s made it clear he wants to leave, and he’s not happy at the club any more.
“I’ve heard whispers for a while that he’s been testing the waters about a potential move away, he wanted to see who was interested and his agent was put to work.
“Amongst all of that, he was picked in the France squad which only added to the situation.
“Crystal Palace don’t want to keep unhappy players at the club, because then you run the risk of things spiralling, or you’re left with a player who isn’t at his usual level.
“I think we’re seeing that from Mateta at the moment, his head is clearly elsewhere, and if somebody wants to meet Palace’s valuation then they’ll accept it.
“The crucial thing then is that they go and get a replacement because they can’t afford to weaken the squad any more than it already has been.”
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