Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, as per Football Insider.
After being impressed by the 29-year-old’s performances for Mainz, the Eagles decided to sign him. He initially moved to Selhurst Park on loan in 2021 before the deal became permanent the following year.
The Frenchman has enjoyed great success in England in recent years, winning a FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League. Moreover, he has showcased his productivity, making 18 goal contributions across all competitions last term.
Having proven his worth in club football, Mateta secured his place in France’s World Cup squad, but he remained on the periphery, failing to start any game.
Now, Football Insider report that Mateta has entered the final 12 months of his current deal at Crystal Palace, and he has rejected several new contract proposals.
After being impressed by his recent eye-catching performances, Tottenham have expressed their interest in him as they believe he would be an upgrade to Dominic Solanke.
Ideally, Crystal Palace don’t want to sell Mateta late in this window, but they might change their stance should they receive an unrefusable proposal.
Mateta to Tottenham
The report state that Tottenham hold a long-standing interest in Mateta as they initially wanted to purchase him in January. Previously, AC Milan came very close to signing him, but he couldn’t pass the medical.
The France international is ready to leave the South London club to take the next step in his career, but he is not forcing a move at the moment.
Mateta, standing at 6ft 4in tall, is quick, strong, good in the air and efficient in holding up the play. Moreover, he can finish off his chances, is efficient at taking penalties, and works hard without possession.
The Crystal Palace star is a Premier League-proven player and is currently at the prime stage of his career. Therefore, he might be a great coup for Tottenham should they purchase him.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his services before the September 1st transfer deadline day.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are set to start the new Premier League campaign against Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium this weekend.
