Nottingham Forest have tabled a £35million bid for wantaway Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta.
The Eagles have had a tough January, having made one signing in the form of Brennan Johnson, but losing captain Marc Guehi to Manchester City, while manager Oliver Glasner has also revealed that he will depart at the end of the season.
Mateta has also made his desire to leave the club clear, with Juventus and Aston Vila registering their interest at various points this transfer window – but no official bids were made.
Daily Mail Sport reported on Saturday that Forest had entered the race for the striker.
And Forest – who have become a form of rivals with Palace following the Eagles’ Europa League expulsion in the summer, which saw them replaced by Sean Dyche’s side in the competition – have now put an offer on the table for the Frenchman.
As Daily Mail Sport reported, Palace have been preparing for Mateta to depart after they offered him new terms in the summer and initially there was optimism he would agree. However, further talks left them some distance apart.
Nottingham Forest have tabled a £35million bid for wantaway Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta
The 28-year-old has 18 months left on contract and is known to fancy another challenge abroad, but a stay in the Premier League is also an option.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner admitted earlier this month: ‘There will be a price where Crystal Palace say “18 months left in his contract, we do the deal if JP wants”. If nobody pays this price, then JP will stay.’
Palace have looked at Jorgen Strand Larsen of Wolves and Joaquin Panichelli of Strasbourg as potential replacements, and it’s thought that they would want a new forward guaranteed if they are to let Mateta go.
Johnson is their only arrival so far, joining for £35m from Tottenham at the start of the transfer window.
Forest, meanwhile, have brought in Lorenzo Lucca on loan from Napoli, but, with Chris Wood out for the season, they still want another forward. Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi both scored in the 2-0 win over Brentford on Sunday, however, to boost their own confidence.
Mateta played for Palace against Chelsea on Sunday despite making his decision to leave known, missing two guilt-edged chances in the 3-1 defeat.
It is not believed that personal terms will be an issue in a potential deal.
