Jean-Philippe Mateta transfer news: Oliver Glasner confirms striker will not feature against Nottingham Forest amid AC Milan interest
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has confirmed Jean-Philippe Mateta will not feature against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, live on Sky Sports; AC Milan have made an offer worth £35m to sign Mateta and Nottingham Forest's bid for him remains on the table
Friday 30 January 2026 14:43, UK
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner says Jean-Philippe Mateta will not feature against Nottingham Forest after AC Milan made an offer to sign the striker.
The Serie A side have made an offer worth £35m to sign Mateta permanently in the summer but want to bring in him in now on an initial loan with an obligation to buy.
"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 in his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Forest, live on Super Sunday.
"We have to protect the team and protect him, he will not travel with us to Nottingham."
- Transfer Centre LIVE! | Crystal Palace news & transfers🦅
- Palace fixtures & scores | FREE Palace highlights▶️
- Got Sky? Watch Palace games LIVE on your phone📱
- Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺
- January transfer window: Done deals in the Premier League
Milan are no longer waiting to find a solution to Christopher Nkunku's future before pushing for Mateta.
Palace are discussing Milan's offer and - as Sky Sports News reported on Thursday - Forest's bid for Mateta also remains on the table.
When pushed for more detail on Mateta's absence this weekend, Glasner added: "Again, there is so much noise, so much speculation, so many things going on.
"We need every single player at their best and he isn't at his best right now with all the noise that happens.
"It can be football noise, but if someone has private issues where they can't focus on football, then it makes no sense to play.
"He can't help the team and perform at his top level. We decided it is better not to play him. We have to prepare if something happens with [with Mateta]."
Glasner also stated it is possible Mateta remains at the club after the January transfer window closes on Monday.
He continued: "Again, to be clear, it can be that he stays, and he is a Palace player on February 2, and it can be that he has left the club and a new striker is in.
"These are the two situations we are talking about and discussing right now."
Palace want to get a replacement before Mateta can leave and still want to sign Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolves.
A fee of £45m plus £5m was more or less verbally agreed by all parties, Sky Sports News understands.
But there are still some adjustments to the deal that are yet to be agreed. Leeds are also still monitoring Strand Larsen after having an initial bid rejected.
Glasner: Palace is a challenging situation currently
Glasner went on to admit that balancing fixtures with the transfer window is not easy but insists the club are working hard to prepare for all possibilities come the end of Deadline Day on Monday.
Palace have already lost captain Marc Guehi in a £20m deal to Manchester City on January 19.
"To be honest, it looks like the entire year, especially in summer, and right now it is not the easiest way to deal with for the group and for everyone," Glasner said.
"The club is working almost 24 hours a day right now. Marc [Guehi] left two weeks ago and nobody is in.
"You can imagine it is not so easy - every team wants to play a successful season, so it is not so easy that you can get the players at the end of January. I see the club working hard to get players in.
"So much noise, so many players leaving and leaving on Deadline Day or the day before and all this noise around us. Yes, it is really challenging.
"Challenging for the players and I can't praise them enough. I see how hard they are working the whole week and how they're dealing with these circumstances.
"We will travel tomorrow with 13 on-field players, plus Kaden Rodney from our academy. Nobody is complaining. We will be able to win with this group of players at Nottingham. It is a challenging situation."
Guessand set to join despite late Juventus interest
Latest from Sky Sports News' James Savundra and Sky in Italy's Gianluca Di Marzio:
Evann Guessand is on course to complete his initial loan move to Crystal Palace until the end of the season.
There was a late inquiry from Juventus but it is understood it has come too late to affect anything.
The deal for Guessand to join Palace includes a £28m obligation to buy that is triggered if he makes a certain number of appearances.
The Ivory Coast international has agreed a four-year contract at Selhurst Park, if and when the deal becomes permanent.
He travelled to London on Thursday to finalise the move and is scheduled to undergo a medical on Friday.
