Report: Crystal Palace star eyeing January exit | OneFootball

Mateta Signals Desire for Next Step as January Interest Intensifies

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s candid admission that he wants to take “the next step” in his career has changed the temperature around Crystal Palace’s season, according to TeamTalk. What had been background transfer noise has hardened into a tangible exit pathway, with the January 2026 window now shaping up as a defining moment for both player and club.

The 28 year old has enjoyed a blistering start with seven Premier League goals already, marrying power with sharper movement and link up play. It is precisely that evolution which has convinced him that Selhurst Park may now be too small a stage. Sources close to the striker confirm he has communicated his desire to move on, with intermediaries instructed to explore “concrete options ahead of the winter window”.

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Manchester United were described as “massive admirers over the summer and still hold an interest in Mateta”, while Champions League clubs from England, Italy and Germany are monitoring developments. AC Milan and Inter are noted suitors and several Premier League top six sides have registered interest.

Palace Valuation Set Above £40 Million

Crystal Palace are striking a careful balance between ambition and realism. Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman remain “reluctant to lose their talisman mid season”, yet they are prepared to listen if the numbers align with internal expectations. That benchmark is “believed to start north of £40 million, potentially rising with add ons”.

Insiders stress the club is determined to avoid undervaluation, referencing the Michael Olise episode as a warning from recent history. Consequently, Palace are demanding “significant upfront payment rather than heavily structured instalments”. With Mateta’s contract expiring in 2027, there is awareness that the striker entering his final year would diminish leverage and negotiating power.

Recruitment Planning Already Underway

As prudence dictates, Palace have already begun contingency work. “Several European based forwards” are on the shortlist, with preliminary enquiries made to identify stylistic and physical successors to Mateta’s unique profile.

His representatives are seeking “guarantees of regular first team football and a platform to compete at the highest level of European competition”, a reasonable demand given his present output. For now, Mateta remains “fully professional and committed when selected by Oliver Glasner”, yet the message is unmistakable, a new challenge awaits.

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January therefore, looms large. Whether Palace choose to cash in early or push discussions to summer may shape their campaign and, perhaps, the balance of power in the upper reaches of the Premier League.

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For concerned Palace supporters, this report hits like a cold splash of reality. Mateta saying he wants “the next step” is honest, but painfully symbolic of the ceiling supporters fear the club has reached. Losing seven league goals by January would feel like pulling the foundations from under Glasner’s project.

£40 million sounds strong on paper, yet replacing a striker in peak form mid season is close to impossible. Shortlists rarely equal certainty, and Palace history offers too many examples where recruitment timing has failed to match ambition. The worry is not simply whether a forward arrives, but whether they can adapt quickly enough to preserve league stability.

Fans are also uneasy about becoming a feeder club narrative once more. They already watched Olise depart amid frustration about valuation battles, and seeing the same stress cycle repeat drains belief in sustained progress.

Mateta has earned the right to dream bigger, yet supporters crave reassurance that the club’s vision stretches beyond selling well. The mood around Selhurst Park is not anger yet, it is anxiety. Palace need more than clever negotiation. They must show that any sale becomes a springboard for genuine growth rather than another reset button pressed too soon.