The transfer of Jean-Philippe Mateta to AC Milan has collapsed after the player failed his medical. According to previous reports, Milan had reached a €32 million agreement with Crystal Palace for the forward.
Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta is facing a crucial health decision that will shape his World Cup prospects. The French striker’s planned £30 million transfer to AC Milan on transfer deadline day fell through after he failed a medical due to a knee issue.
The 28-year-old has been playing through the injury for some time, and he now has to decide whether to undergo surgery. If he opts for the operation, he will strive to regain peak form by summer in a bid to earn a call-up to the France national team. Yet even with surgery, there is no guarantee that he will recover in time and find sufficient form to impress manager Didier Deschamps. Mateta is well aware that his knee injury has been consistently affecting his on-pitch performance and availability.
This has left him worried that missing out on the national team call-up due to poor form would be a huge regret in his career. Mateta has been in outstanding form for Crystal Palace this season, not only helping the club win the FA Cup with crucial goals but also leading the team to a historic European spot. But now, despite having made his desire to leave clear, he will most likely have to return to Selhurst Park temporarily.
Current signs suggest Mateta is more likely to leave next summer when he has just one year left on his contract. Crystal Palace cannot afford to lose him on a free transfer – the club previously sold Marc Guehi, who had six months left on his deal, to Manchester City for a maximum of £30 million, a figure far below the player’s actual market value.
Mateta will consult with Crystal Palace and its medical team on the subsequent treatment plan. Surgery could see him sidelined for months, shattering his hopes of playing in the World Cup entirely. He is bitterly disappointed by the failed Milan transfer; Juventus’s interest has also cooled, and a previous offer from Nottingham Forest was rejected.
Last weekend, he unfollowed Crystal Palace’s social media accounts and posted a disappointed emoji, laying his emotions bare. Whether he will be included in the squad for this weekend’s match against Brighton remains unknown.
