Exclusive: AC Milan Will Not Revisit Move for Jean-Philippe Mateta in the Summer

AC Milan will not pursue a move for wantaway Crystal Palace star Jean-Phillipe Mateta in the summer after his deadline-day move fell through, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal. 

The French international looked destined to swap Selhurst Park for the San Siro in the final hours of the window after a deal, reportedly around €35million, was agreed between the two clubs. 

However, the striker failed his Milan medical due to a knee issue and is weighing up whether or not to undergo surgery which could rule him out of this summer’s World Cup. 

Mateta told Palace in no uncertain terms that he wanted to leave the club during the winter window with a number of potential suitors willing to offer him a way out of London.

Nottingham Forest were eager in bringing the hitman in to help them avoid relegation to the Championship, but Mateta preferred a move to Italy.

Juventus were heavily linked with the 28-year-old earlier in the window, but interest cooled and Milan became the player’s preferred destination before his medical mishap. 

Mateta will only have a year left on his Palace deal at the end of the season. 

And on his injury, boss Oliver Glasner said: “It was not a big surprise that he could fail. He knew it was possible. When you play for two-and-a-half months with a swollen knee, it has to be managed and we all know there is an issue with his knee.”

Palace Problems

Mateta initially joined Palace on a loan deal from Mainz 05 in January 2021 and the club triggered their option to buy, which including the loan fee amounted to around €18million. 

After a slow start in the Premier League, Mateta was named Palace’s Player of the Year in the 2023/24 season as he bagged 16 goals in 35 league games.

And he proved he was no one-hit wonder as he struck 14 league goals last term as well as helping them win the FA Cup.