Jean-Philippe Mateta, a star player for Crystal Palace, is reportedly Manchester United’s “top target” for the summer transfer window, according to a new report.
Throughout the course of this season, Mateta has been in outstanding form for Palace, scoring 15 goals across all competitions for the team coached by Oliver Glasner.
Additionally, he was a member of the French Olympic football team during the summer of 2017, where he scored four goals and helped Thierry Henry’s team win the silver medal.
It has been a remarkable year for the 27-year-old player, who appeared to have been revitalised under the management of Glasner after having a difficult time finding his form under Roy Hodgson’s direction.
His progress was halted on Saturday after he sustained a “severe laceration to the left ear” as a result of a horrific tackle from Millwall keeper Liam Roberts. The injury required 25 stitches to be stitched up.
On the other hand, Palace is reportedly hoping to have him fully fit after the international break in March in order to have a strong finish to the season.
Before Mateta suffered his injury, there were rumours that he would be joining United in the summer. This is because Ruben Amorim, the manager of United, is looking to improve his attacking options.
Now, according to The Sun, United has designated the Frenchman as their top target as a result of the fact that he has scored 12 goals in the Premier League so far this season.
It has been reported that they have dispatched scouts to observe Palace’s most recent three matches; however, they have first-hand knowledge of what Mateta is capable of doing because he scored twice against them in a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford during the previous month.
A move to Old Trafford is said to be something that the 27-year-old player would be interested in, according to The Sun. However, it is not clear whether Palace would even consider offers for one of their key players.
According to reports, Amorim was informed that a move to sign Viktor Gyokeres, a former frontman for Sporting Lisbon, is a “total non-starter.” This is due to the fact that Gyokeres is interested in moving to a club that competes in the Champions League.
Even though United will not be able to qualify for Europe based on their league finishing position, they still have the opportunity to do so if they win the Europa League.
In the last 16 stage of the competition, they will face Real Sociedad, a Spanish club, over the course of two legs. If they are to advance further in the tournament, they may have to overcome Tottenham Hotspur, a team from the Premier League.
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