Tottenham Hotspur have opened talks to sign Crystal Palace centre-forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, according to Nicolo Schira.
Mateta has been in the mix of what seems to be a merry-go-round of centre-forwards in the closing days of the winter transfer window. Palace have been linked with several options and have reportedly agreed a deal with Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign Jorgen Strand Larsen.
With one year left on Mateta’s contract, the Eagles are still looking to add another centre-forward, with the Frenchman increasingly likely to depart Selhurst Park.
In recent hours, veritable reports have confirmed that the Eagles have also agreed a deal for Aston Villa’s striker Evann Guessand, further putting Mateta’s future in doubt with a January move looking possible.
Several clubs have been linked with a move for the former Mainz hitman, with the latest club to join the race for his signature being Tottenham.
This is according to Nicolo Schira, who claims that Spurs have opened talks with Palace to discuss the possible transfer of the 28-year-old to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Spurs are now looking to seal the deal, and should an agreement be reached, it’ll pave the way for Randal Kolo Muani to depart the club this month, according to the journalist.
Prolific forward
The 6ft 3in centre-forward has been one of the most prolific goalscorers not just for Palace but in the Premier League. His form in front of goal has also earned him three international caps for France, where he has netted twice, putting him in strong contention for Didier Deschamps’ final Les Bleus squad for the World Cup.
After an outstanding 2024-25 campaign in which he netted 17 goals across all competitions, Mateta has continued his form this season, providing two assists and scoring ten goals in all competitions, including in the Community Shield final against Liverpool.
In the Premier League, only Erling Haaland (20), Igor Thiago (16), Antoine Semenyo (11) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (9) have netted more goals than Mateta’s eight, underscoring why Spurs are now looking to sign him to ease their goalscoring burden.
His aerial prowess and physicality would give Thomas Frank a different profile from that of Dominic Solanke and Richarlison, the latter of whom is poised to depart the club.
However, while Palace are expected to demand a fee above his £34m Transfermarkt valuation, Tottenham will need to accelerate efforts to sign him, as Nottingham Forest, according to reports, hold concrete interest in his signature.
