Manchester United have begun negotiations with Crystal Palace over the potential signing of Jean-Philippe Mateta. The French striker has been in impressive form this year, netting eight goals since January, including a double in Palace’s victory over United at Old Trafford. The Eagles are reportedly open to selling the 27-year-old if they receive a bid of around £40 million.
United’s new manager, Ruben Amorim, is keen to strengthen his attacking options, particularly given the uncertainty surrounding Marcus Rashford’s future. Both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have struggled to provide consistent goal returns, leaving the Red Devils in need of a reliable striker. Hojlund, in particular, has suffered a crisis of confidence, failing to score in his last 19 appearances.
Former England captain Alan Shearer weighed in on Hojlund’s struggles, noting that the Dane is not missing many chances but is failing to get into the right positions. Shearer emphasized the importance of persistence, advising Hojlund to keep working hard and maintain his presence in front of goal to break his drought.
While United are assessing their attacking reinforcements, Palace manager Oliver Glasner remains hopeful that Mateta will recover from his recent ear injury in time for their FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham. The striker suffered a severe laceration that required 25 stitches after a collision with Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts in the fourth round of the competition.
Following the incident, Roberts personally reached out to Mateta to apologize. However, the Football Association deemed the initial three-match suspension for the goalkeeper insufficient, leading to an independent panel increasing his ban to six games. Despite the severity of the injury, Glasner reassured fans that Mateta did not suffer any fractures or concussions and is on track to make a full recovery.
Palace will be without Mateta for their upcoming Premier League match against Ipswich, but the French forward is expected to rejoin the squad for training in Marbella next week. Glasner remains optimistic that if his recovery goes as planned, Mateta will be fit to face Fulham in a crucial FA Cup encounter.
As United weigh up their striking options, the potential arrival of Mateta could provide much-needed firepower to a team struggling to find consistency in attack. With negotiations ongoing, it remains to be seen whether United will meet Palace’s valuation and secure the forward’s services before the summer transfer window closes.
With Mateta’s future uncertain and United desperate for attacking reinforcements, the coming weeks will be pivotal in determining whether the Frenchman makes the move to Old Trafford or remains a key figure at Selhurst Park.