Crystal Palace have responded to an enquiry from Aston Villa for star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, according to reports.
The Frenchman has impressed in his short spell under Oliver Glasner so far, scoring 13 goals in the final 13 games of the Premier League campaign.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s form helped skyrocket the Eagles up into the top half of the division, building hopes of an even better season this time around.
However, the 27-year-old’s performances have naturally brought about plenty of interest in the transfer market.
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Crystal Palace respond to Aston Villa move for Jean-Philippe Mateta
One club that are showing interest in Mateta are Aston Villa, with the side preparing for a campaign in the Champions League.
It comes amid questions over the future of the striker at Selhurst Park, with only two years remaining on his contract with Crystal Palace.
While that could’ve been reason enough to force a sale, especially with the Frenchman’s value at an all-time high, it appears as though the club have decided against it.
According to the Standard, Aston Villa have made their interest known to Crystal Palace and Mateta’s camp.
However, the club insist that the forward is not for sale as he is an important part of Glasner’s squad for the future.
The report adds that the club were open to offers in January, with Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Torino all eyeing a move but ultimately failing.
Jean-Philippe Mateta transfer decision
At this stage, it’s clear that Mateta has a huge decision on his hands when it comes to his future at Crystal Palace and beyond.
The striker could have an opportunity to play Champions League football and with contract talks still undecided, the ball could be in his court over his future.
However, there is every likelihood that Mateta would be playing second choice to Ollie Watkins, while Palace could guarantee minutes.
Plus there’s an exciting project under Glasner that could have the potential to reach the heights of Villa.
More will likely become clear once Mateta returns from the Paris Olympic games.
