Aston Villa have registered an interest in Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. The 27-year-old hit a stunning run of form over the second half of last season but Palace are yet to reward him with a contract extension.
Mateta finished 2023/24 on 16 Premier League goals overall, with 14 of them coming in the final 16 games of the campaign. He rounded off the season with a hat-trick at home to Aston Villa as Palace romped to a 5-0 win.
That performance, coupled with him lighting up the division from February to May, left a lasting impression on Villa. And Express Sport understands they have reached out to Mateta's camp to explore the possibility of a summer transfer.
Related articles
Mateta's current deal runs until the summer of 2026, and though talks have been held with Palace over an extension, the parties have not yet reached an agreement. Villa could test the waters over the coming weeks as they scout out a replacement for exit-bound Jhon Duran.
West Ham and Chelsea have both been linked with Duran, whose departure would open up a space up top in Unai Emery's squad. Villa are not alone in their admiration of Mateta, with Italian giants Juventus and La Liga big shots Atletico Madrid also keeping tabs on the forward's situation.
AS Roma were also keen on Mateta before turning their attention to Girona's Artem Dovbyk. Mateta is content at Palace and thriving under the management of Oliver Glasner, but it is understood that the opportunity to play Champions League football would be a serious pull for the Frenchman.
Any concrete developments in Mateta's situation will likely have to wait until after the Olympic Games, where the frontman is currently competing on home soil for Les Bleus.
Related articles
A powerful striker at 6ft 4in tall, Mateta rose through the ranks in his homeland with Chateauroux, Lyon and Le Havre before landing in the Bundesliga with Mainz in 2018. A run of 27 goals in 71 games prompted Palace to part with £9million three years later.
Mateta started slowly at Selhurst Park, hitting only seven Premier League goals across his first two seasons, before last term's explosive run saw his stock skyrocket.
