Jean-Philippe Mateta transfer news: Crystal Palace striker open to new challenge amid Premier League interest
Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta open to a new challenge; there is a real chance that Mateta could join captain Marc Guehi in leaving the club this month; Juventus and several Premier League clubs are interested in signing him; Mateta wants to play for a Champions League club
Friday 16 January 2026 20:40, UK
Crystal Palace face losing another key player with striker Jean-Philippe Mateta open to a new challenge.
There is a real chance that Mateta could join captain Marc Guehi in leaving the club this month.
Guehi is set to join Manchester City, while Palace boss Oliver Glasner also confirmed his exit at the end of the season on Friday.
The Eagles could now also be set to lose their main goal scorer, Mateta, with the France international open to a new challenge.
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The 28-year-old wants to play for a Champions League club or a club that have a good chance of playing in the competition next season.
Juventus and several Premier League clubs are interested in signing him.
But the ex-Mainz striker would not want to move to Saudi Arabia or Turkey at this stage of his career.
Glasner revealed on Friday that Mateta, who has 18 months left on his contract, could leave if the price was right.
The Austrian said: "There will be a price where Crystal Palace say '18 months left in his contract, we do the deal if JP wants'.
"If nobody pays this price then JP will stay."
Mateta is open to a new opportunity because he wants to give himself the best possible chance of playing in the World Cup for France this summer.
Guehi and Glasner going
The Mateta news emerged on Friday evening after the exits of Glasner and Guehi had been revealed earlier in the day.
Man City have agreed to pay an initial £20m for Guehi, and there is also a percentage sell-on clause inserted into the deal.
Advanced discussions remain ongoing about the finer points of the transfer agreement.
Glasner confirmed Guehi "was in the final stages" of a transfer and would not play at Sunderland on Saturday.
Like Mateta, Glasner is after a "new challenge" which will see him depart Selhurst Park at the end of the season.
The Austrian put an end to months of speculation over his future by explaining he had told Palace owner Steve Parish as far back as October that he would not be renewing his existing deal.
Glasner said he had kept the news secret because of the club's busy schedule during the final months of 2025, and had only told his players earlier on Friday ahead of their trip to the Stadium of Light.
