Tottenham Hotspur Are Eyeing A January Move For This Crystal Palace Striker: Should De Zerbi Go For Him? | OneFootball

In a recent report, journalist Pete O’Rourke mentioned that Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a January move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. It has been claimed that Spurs would have to compete with Aston Villa in the race to land the French talent this winter.

Mateta’s Impressive Form In The Premier League

Mateta enjoyed a good run of form at the London club in the previous campaign when he put in a string of productive displays for them in the final third. The French forward banged in 16 goals and earned three assists in 50 appearances for Crystal Palace last season on all fronts.

The 29-year-old is currently among the most experienced centre-forwards in the Premier League. Hence, Spurs would do well to get him on board in the January transfer window.

His current contract at Selhurst Park will run out at the end of next season, which could open the door for Tottenham to sign him on a cut-price deal this winter.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY – MAY 27: Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace celebrates victory following the UEFA Conference League Final 2026 match between Crystal Palace FC and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at Football Arena Leipzig on May 27, 2026 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

Should Tottenham Hotspur Boss Roberto De Zerbi Go For Mateta?

Mateta is proficient at finding a yard of space for himself to get some strikes in at goal. He has proven his worth as a decent finisher in the final third and can create the odd chance for his teammates to score.

The French talent is also quite clever with his movements in and around the opponent’s penalty area. Mateta can even use his strong 1.92m frame to win a few aerial duels for his team. He has already proven his worth in the Premier League and won’t take much time to adjust to life at the North London club if they manage to sign him this January.

We can expect Mateta to bring more quality and depth to Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi’s frontline. He has what it takes to fight for regular first-team football at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

At 29, Mateta is playing in his prime and is currently on an expiring contract at Crystal Palace. Therefore, he would be an affordable option for Spurs to pursue in this January transfer period. With all things considered, De Zerbi would be wise to go for a striker of Mateta’s quality this winter.