Manchester United are exploring a move to sign Crystal Palace centre-forward Jean-Philippe Mateta this January, according to Pete O’Rourke.
Jean-Philippe Mateta initially arrived at Crystal Palace on loan from Bundesliga outfit Mainz, impressing during a six-month spell that convinced the South London club to make the move permanent in the summer of 2022.
Since then, the 28-year-old has developed into one of Palace’s most reliable scorers and one of the Premier League’s most effective forwards, a form that has also earned him three caps for France, where he has scored twice, placing him firmly in the frame for Didier Deschamps’ final World Cup squad.
Following a superb 2024–25 season that brought 17 goals in all competitions, Mateta has carried that momentum into the current campaign, recording nine goals and two assists, including a strike in the Community Shield final against Liverpool.
According to O’Rourke, Man Utd are exploring a move for Mateta as a potential option to reinforce Ruben Amorim’s attack.
The France international has been stalling over a contract extension that runs out in the summer of 2027, and the Red Devils are now closely monitoring the situation, according to the journalist.
Prolific forward
Writing on Football Insider, O’Rourke claims that the 13-time Premier League champions are long-term admirers of Mateta and are now considering making an offer this January amid the 28-year-old’s contractual standoff with Palace.
Having scored just twice in 20 outings this season, Benjamin Šeško has found the transition to Premier League football tougher than expected following his summer arrival from RB Leipzig.
Missing Bryan Mbeumo due to AFCON and lacking the usual influence of Bruno Fernandes was evidenced against Wolverhampton Wanderers, where the Red Devils were unable to break down the league’s bottom side at Old Trafford.
It proved a deeply underwhelming performance from Ruben Amorim’s team, who allowed Wolves to collect only their third point of the season. United’s attacking issues were underlined at half-time when Joshua Zirkzee was withdrawn for tactical reasons, despite the limited options available.
As a result, a move for Mateta makes sense. His goalscoring ability, coupled with his physicality and pace, is not only appealing, but the prospect of securing him for a cut-price fee adds further appeal, as Palace will likely consider offers around his £34m Transfermarkt valuation rather than losing him for free at the end of next season.
