JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA DEMANDS CRYSTAL PALACE EXIT AS JUVENTUS PREPARES A FRESH £35M BID
Frustrated by broken promises and a lack of ambition, Jean-Philippe Mateta demands a £35m move from Crystal Palace to Juventus.
Jean-Philippe Mateta has told Crystal Palace he wants to leave. The French striker feels the club's ambitions don't match his own. He's upset that promises about new players and a potential contract weren't kept. The 28-year-old wants to play European football regularly, and Juventus recently made an offer for him.
Mateta Not Happy with Crystal Palace
Reports suggest Mateta's time in South London may be coming to an end. Sky Sports says he wanted to leave last summer when several clubs showed interest. Contract talks near the end of 2025 didn't work out, leading him to think his future lies elsewhere. His current deal ends in the summer of 2027.
Juventus Interested in Mateta
The Times reports that Juventus offered a loan deal for Mateta: £1.7m to borrow him until the end of the season, with an extra £24m if they qualify for Europe to buy him outright. Palace turned it down and wants £35m for the player.
Juventus needs attacking players because Dusan Vlahovic has been injured since November with a shoulder problem. He should be back in March, but his contract with the club also ends this season.
Aston Villa might also try to sign Mateta. They've been linked with bringing back Tammy Abraham, who's currently on loan at Besiktas from Roma. Unai Emery's team loaned out Donyell Malen to Roma last week.
Manchester United was interested in Mateta last summer, but they spent a lot on Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, and Bryan Mbeumo. So, a move in January is unlikely.
Trouble at Crystal Palace
Mateta seems to be following his former captain and manager out of the club. Earlier this month, Palace agreed to sell Marc Guehi to Manchester City for a low price of £20m because he had less than six months left on his contract.
Soon after, manager Oliver Glasner, who won the FA Cup, said he'd be leaving when his contract ends in the summer. He was reportedly angry that the club let Eberechi Eze join Arsenal and might let Guehi leave for Liverpool at the end of the summer. Chairman Steve Parish blocked the £35m Guehi deal.
Before a game against Sunderland, Glasner said he felt abandoned by the club. This made Parish consider firing him, but they agreed Glasner would finish his contract.
Will Mateta Leave in January?
Glasner helped Mateta improve his game. He joined on loan from Mainz in January 2021 and then signed a permanent deal for £15m, but he struggled at first. Since Glasner arrived in February 2024, only Erling Haaland (59) and Mohamed Salah (36) have scored more Premier League goals than Mateta (34).
With Glasner leaving, Mateta's loyalty to Crystal Palace seems to be gone. Parish probably won't want another contract situation like the one with Guehi. Any club that wants Mateta this window will likely have to pay the £35m asking price or wait until the summer.
HOW JAMES MADDISON’S INDIVIDUAL TRAINING SIGNALS A SHOCK SEASON RETURN
James Maddison returns to individual training as Igor Tudor prepares Tottenham for a vital relegation battle with Forest.
Ahead of Tottenham’s match against Nottingham Forest, manager Igor Tudor gave an update on when James Maddison might return from injury. It’s a crucial moment for Spurs as they prepare to host Forest in what could be the defining 90 minutes of Tudor’s time at the club and quite possibly a key fixture that will shape the season for both teams.
Currently separated by just one point, Tottenham and Forest are locked in a battle against relegation. A win would push Spurs four points clear of the drop zone, while a loss might drag them into the bottom three. The stakes couldn’t be clearer.
Tudor’s side heads into this game with renewed energy, surprisingly positive given the mood just two weeks ago. The draw at Anfield broke a six-game losing streak, and their recent 3-2 victory over Atlético Madrid, though not enough to overturn the aggregate score, brought back a sense of belief. Young players like Xavi Simons and Archie Gray impressed, while Mathys Tel kept the opposition on their toes. The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was electric in a way fans haven’t felt for months. While the Champions League hopes are dashed, that performance has injected valuable momentum into Spurs’ survival fight.
There’s also some hopeful news on the injury front. Dominic Solanke, who missed the Atlético leg with a hip issue, might be available. His physical presence adds a different dimension to Tottenham’s attack, which Tudor will surely be glad to have.
But the most promising update came from Tudor’s comments about Maddison. The creative midfielder, sidelined since August after rupturing his ACL in a preseason friendly, has begun some individual training, spotted alongside Palhinha. Recoveries from ACL injuries are never straightforward, and the team won’t rush him back. With only seven league games left after Sunday, there’s a narrow window for his return. Still, even the possibility of Maddison getting back on the pitch—someone who can change a game with a moment of skill or a precise pass—offers a much-needed morale boost.
For now, though, the focus remains firmly on Forest.
WHY BORUSSIA DORTMUND EXPECT JADON SANCHO TO SIGN FOR FREE
Unai Emery praises Jadon Sancho despite poor stats, while Dortmund free up £21m in wages to lure him back to Germany.
Borussia Dortmund really want Jadon Sancho back, and they’re hoping to get him for free from Manchester United. Sancho’s contract runs out this summer, and honestly, no one expects United to offer him a new one.
Right now, Sancho’s on loan at Aston Villa. It’s his third spell away from Old Trafford since United signed him for £73 million in 2021. His move to Villa was just a loan with no option to buy.
Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, has hinted he might keep Sancho, but Dortmund aren’t sitting around. The Times says Dortmund didn’t chase wingers last summer because Nico Kovac liked the 3-4-2-1 formation, but now the boss has changed his mind and wants Sancho back.
If Sancho comes back, he'll need to take a hefty pay cut from his £300,000-a-week salary. Still, Dortmund’s where he made his name after moving from Manchester City in 2017.
Dortmund have room in the budget this summer; they let the contracts of Julian Brandt, Niklas Süle, and Salih Özcan run out. That saves them about £21 million a year, and they’re optimistic they can lure Sancho, who’s allowed to strike pre-contract deals with foreign clubs.
Sancho actually spent half of the 2024 season back at Dortmund after Erik ten Hag froze him out at United. He helped them reach the Champions League final, but nothing permanent came of it.
Something similar happened during his loan to Chelsea last season. The club even paid a £5 million penalty just to avoid having to sign him outright. Villa picked him up right at the transfer deadline in September, but, once again, he’s struggled.
So far, Sancho’s got one goal and one assist in 29 games across all competitions. Still, Emery thinks there’s more to come.
When asked in February about signing Sancho for good, Emery said, “Not yet, but he’s a fantastic player. Hopefully, he can help us by improving within our system, like he is doing.
“He’ll need a new contract; maybe it’s here. If he plays his best football, we’ll want him. But other teams will be interested, too.”
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