Aston Villa explore Jean-Philippe Mateta deal as Crystal Palace star seeks exit | OneFootball

Frenchman has suitors at home and abroad

Aston Villa are interested in signing Jean-Philippe Mateta, who has informed Crystal Palace he wishes to leave this month.

Villa are keen on improving their options in attack and had been working on a move for Tammy Abraham from Besiktas but there has been no breakthrough with that.

Standard Sport previously reported in August 2024 that Villa held an interest in Mateta. It went no further at that point and he remained at Palace where he went on to win the FA Cup under Oliver Glasner that season.

The France international has been a target for a number of top European clubs in recent years due to his goalscoring record with Palace, whose impressive start to this season has stalled and they are now winless in ten matches.

Juventus had tried to sign Mateta earlier this month and the striker was keen on the move. However, a deal could not be reached as the Serie A side felt Palace’s valuation of the striker, believed to be in the region of £35million, was too high.

The forward has scored ten goals in 32 appearances in all competitions for the Eagles this term.

Palace retain an interest in Villa’s Evann Guessand, who they expressed a keenness to sign in the summer before he joined the Midlands club. He has not played regularly for Unai Emery’s side and that has alerted Palace to the Ivorian once more.

Palace have endured a tumultuous month. The FA Cup holders crashed out in the third round to sixth-tier Macclesfield, losing captain Marc Guehi to Manchester City, and head coach Glasner went public about his plan to leave the club in the summer.

Mateta has informed Palace of his desire to leave the club and he has no plans to sign a new long-term deal.