Crystal Palace are reportedly confident of keeping Jean-Philippe Mateta despite Liverpool and a host of other clubs keen to sign him this summer.
Liverpool are on the verge of signing Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike for big money – a fee in the region of £82m is reported – but the Reds could still sign two strikers.
Darwin Nunez has yet to leave the club but journalists close to Liverpool have made it clear that, one way or another, the Uruguayan will be sold although scoring a hattrick against Stoke City has some fans online hoping he will stay.
Unfortunately for Nunez and his biggest fans, that ship has sailed.
Crystal Palace are “doing everything they can” to hold onto Mateta this summer amid heavy interest
Last season, Mateta starred for Palace and was a key player in their first ever major trophy lift, beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final to create a memory their fans will never forget.
In all competitions, Mateta scored 17 goals and provided four assists and for a team like Liverpool, would be a wonderful squad player that can step in whenever Ekitike needs a break.
Pete O’Rourke, reporting for FI, claims that Palace are working hard to thwart efforts to sign Mateta.
“There’s a number of clubs who are looking at Mateta,” O’Rourke told Football Insider.
“He had a great season for Palace last season, there’s no getting away from that.
“With 17 goals in all competitions, he obviously played a key role in them winning the FA Cup.
“It’s not just Liverpool being linked, you’ve got Manchester United being credited with an interest in him as well as AC Milan who have been looking at him.
“Palace will be doing everything they can to keep hold of Mateta.
“They’re shutting down the hatches at Palace with all of the top clubs looking at their best players with the continues links with Eze and Arsenal, Guehi and Liverpool.
“Palace can’t afford to lose too many big players in this window, it would be a disaster for them.
“So they’ll be doing everything they can to keep hold of Jean-Philippe Mateta.
“He’s still got two years left on his contract, so Palace are in a strong position to keep hold of him.”
