AliousAston Villa has surprisingly opened discussions with Crystal Palace regarding striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, while Manchester United is set to acquire a promising young talent from Palace’s academy.
Mateta, who joined Palace in 2021 and became a permanent signing in 2022, has seen his value rise significantly.
He scored an impressive 19 goals in 39 appearances last season, including 13 in his final 13 Premier League matches.
Although previously linked with PSG, other clubs are now showing interest as PSG pursues different targets.
Aston Villa has made an unexpected inquiry about the 27-year-old striker.
However, Palace has rejected Villa’s approach, preferring to keep Mateta for the upcoming season under manager Oliver Glasner.
Other clubs, including Juventus, Atletico Madrid, and Torino, have also expressed interest in Mateta.
While Palace feels secure with Mateta’s contract running until 2026, they haven’t yet convinced him to sign a new deal.
Villa, with their financial resources, could potentially make a compelling offer.
Villa’s interest comes despite already having Ollie Watkins, Jhon Duran, and Cameron Archer in their squad.
Manager Unai Emery and sporting director Monchi are seeking additional competition for Watkins, particularly given the uncertainty surrounding Duran’s future.
In separate news, Manchester United has successfully signed Samuel Lusale, a highly regarded young winger from Crystal Palace’s academy.
United beat out competition from clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Borussia Dortmund for the 16-year-old Slovakian youth international.
This signing aligns with Manchester United’s strategy under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS to acquire top young talent.
Lusale is expected to join United’s youth setup with the potential to progress to the senior squad in the future.
United’s youth recruitment drive also includes the expected signing of striker Chido Obi-Martin from Arsenal’s academy.
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