Jean-Philippe Mateta will not feature against Nottingham Forest following AC Milan bid | OneFootball

Jean-Philippe Mateta (28) will not feature for Crystal Palace against Nottingham Forest on Sunday as uncertainty over his future continues to grow, manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed.

The Palace striker has attracted serious interest from AC Milan, who have made an offer worth £35m and are pushing to bring the France international to Italy before the January window closes. Nottingham Forest’s bid for Mateta also remains on the table, leaving Palace weighing up their options during a delicate period.

Glasner insisted Mateta’s absence is about protecting both player and team rather than forcing a transfer. Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the trip to the City Ground, he said the striker was “not in the right place” to perform at his best amid the noise surrounding his future and would not travel with the squad.

Palace are keen to line up a replacement before allowing Mateta to leave. They are close to completing a loan deal for Aston Villa forward Evann Guessand, which includes an obligation to buy, and remain in discussions with Wolves over Jorgen Strand Larsen.

Glasner acknowledged the situation remains unresolved, admitting Mateta could still be a Palace player once the window shuts on Monday. With key departures already affecting the squad, Palace face a challenging balancing act as they prepare for Forest while planning for multiple outcomes in the transfer market.

GFN | Finn Entwistle