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Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta is open to a move to Italy, and AC Milan are reportedly ready to give him the opportunity.
Milan’s issues in the striker position in recent seasons have been well documented, and it they are ongoing despite the fact that the team sit second in the table and are dreaming of a push for the Scudetto.
Santiago Gimenez is the only natural centre-forward in the squad but he is currently sidelined and hasn’t scored a league goal yet in 2025-26, while €38m summer signing Christopher Nkunku is also on zero Serie A goals.
Mateta the answer?
According to GiveMeSport, Mateta is open to leaving Crystal Palace before his deal runs out and he ‘has ambitions to play in Serie A before the end of his career’. The 28-year-old watches Italian football a lot, and dreams of playing for a big club in the Champions League before his career is done.
They add that Atalanta showed an interest in Mateta during the summer window, but Palace had very little interest in negotiating the sale of one of their most important players before a campaign with European football.
According to TEAMtalk meanwhile, it is Milan that are ‘plotting a spectacular transfer’ for Mateta, and the player is ‘keen to make the move’. The Rossoneri management clearly believe that the man who scored 17 Premier League goals last season can fix their long-running No.9 issue.
It seems the interest is mutual, as a source told them: “He’s open to leaving. The 28-year-old has ambitions to represent a Serie A club before the end of his career.” A mid-season departure could materialise if a bid of £35m (around €40m) were to arrive.
Milan have a ‘serious interest’ in the Frenchman, ‘viewing the 6ft4in powerhouse as the “classic” No. 9 to spearhead Massimiliano Allegri’s attack’. In July, Mateta instructed his agents to ‘make the San Siro move happen’ but Palace wanted £50m, so it didn’t go anywhere.
The report concludes by stating: “TEAMtalk understands Palace won’t block a dream move, but expect haggling.” If the deal were to come to fruition in January, it could force Gimenez out, with a move to the Premier League mentioned for him
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