GdS: ‘Mateta for Max’ – Milan accelerate overnight as €30m deal with Crystal Palace is close

AC Milan have accelerated their pursuit of Jean-Philippe Mateta overnight and a deal could be agreed rather quickly, a report claims.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport report, Milan made significant progress overnight and reached an agreement with Crystal Palace on the transfer fee: €30m. Not only that, they’re trying to close the deal immediately to have the striker right away, rather than wait until the summer.

It could change the Scudetto picture, because a Milan side with a striker who’s scored 38 goals in the last two and a half Premier League seasons is decidedly more threatening to Inter. It’s no coincidence that Juventus have also been trying to sign Mateta too.

The terms of the deal

The question now is whether the deal will close and when. The odds are significantly increasing, and Giorgio Furlani is working to close the operation immediately. Milan has made its choice: Mateta could be the No.9 of the future.

What’s missing? Crystal Palace’s approval for an immediate transfer. Palace are also attempting to acquire Jorgen Strand Larsen – curiously a former Milan Primavera player – from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

If they close that deal, which has been on the up in the last few hours, they’ll give Mateta the green light. Otherwise, they’ll be trying to finalise a transfer agreement in June. Keep an eye on Nottingham Forest too, who have now been overtaken but seem willing to invest a serious sum.

The next few hours will be crucial, because Mateta’s intentions are clear: Italy has always interested him (even in recent years, he’s been very open to a move to Serie A) and he has a deal with Milan over personal terms worth €3-€3.5m net per season plus bonuses.