Crystal Palace book Jorgen Strand Larsen medical as Jean-Philippe Mateta nears AC Milan move | OneFootball

Eagles close in on £48m deal for Wolves striker

Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen is due to undergo a medical ahead of a £48million move to Crystal Palace.

Palace have been in the market for a striker due to uncertainty around the future of Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Mateta is closing in on a move to AC Milan and was left out of Oliver Glasner’s matchday squad for their trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Strand Larsen has scored six goals in all competitions this season but only once in the Premier League.

Palace broke their club-record transfer fee earlier in the window to bring in Brennan Johnson from Tottenham for £35m, and they will eclipse that fee to land Strand Larsen.

Mateta is set to complete his move to AC Milan before tomorrow’s deadline.

On the decision to leave Mateta out against Forest, Glasner said the 28-year-old was not in the right headspace to play.

“It’s nothing to do with the transfers, he is just not in the right place and doesn’t feel in the right place to play,” Glasner said.

“It makes no sense. I have to protect the team and that is why he will not travel with us to the game. There’s so much noise and speculation – you need every single payer at his best, and JP isn’t at his best right now with all the noise that happens. If somebody has some private issues that he can’t really focus on football then it makes no sense to play him because then he can’t help the team or perform on the top level.”