Crystal Palace expect Jean-Philippe Mateta to return against Nottingham Forest next month | OneFootball

According to The Standard, Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is expected to return from a hamstring injury in time to face Nottingham Forest next month.

Mateta has been sidelined since August after suffering the problem shortly before Palace’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester City. He played 63 minutes in the 2-0 loss at Everton on the opening weekend and has not featured since. He looks set to miss out on a call-up to Zinedine Zidane’s inaugural France squad ahead of the upcoming international break.

The 29-year-old is out of contract next summer. A Deadline Day switch to AC Milan in January collapsed after a failed medical flagged a knee injury.

He declined surgery, returned to fitness and scored the winner in the final as Palace lifted the Conference League in May. He was then named in France’s World Cup squad, with Les Bleus reaching the semi-finals in North America.

Palace rejected a £25 million bid from Aston Villa for their No14 and had been open to a sale this summer before the hamstring setback stalled any exit. His future remains unresolved after an August dispute over the validity of the final year of his deal. Attempts to cancel his contract were rejected by a Premier League tribunal and FIFA, and he is currently free to leave next summer.

Source: The Standard

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