The Jean-Philippe Mateta phenomenon can be traced back to a low-key Mainz winter training camp in Marbella.
The Crystal Palace striker is now taking the Premier League by storm. ‘Boooooooooom’ roar the Selhurst Park faithful when Mateta scores. Eight goals in nine games make Mateta one of the in-form forwards in the country. In the words of Mateta himself: ‘Fan-tas-tique!’
The Frenchman is riding the crest of a wave and his success represents a double-edged sword for Palace, considering he is entering the final two years of his contract. But more on Mateta’s future in due course — and back to Spain’s idyllic south coast.
As Mateta went about his business in Marbella, Dougie Freedman was nearby surveying his every move. Palace’s sporting director was first alerted to Mateta when the striker was playing for Lyon’s youth team in 2016.
By this point, Palace’s recruitment team had placed a greater focus on using data to identify targets and Mateta’s numbers at Lyon were notable.
He spent a season on loan at Ligue 2 club Le Havre from the summer of 2017, where 19 goals in 32 starts provided further encouragement.
Jean-Philippe Mateta is enjoying a superb Premier League season for Crystal Palace this term
Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman (pictured centre) watched the striker’s every move during a low-key Mainz winter training camp in Marbella – and now the club are reaping the rewards
The Frenchman had to work his way to success at Palace – and convince some along the way
Yet it wasn’t until he joined Mainz in 2018, and scored 27 in 55 starts, that Palace stepped up their interest. Freedman wanted to see for himself and by all accounts stalked him in Marbella, even staying at the same hotel to analyse Mateta’s every habit. Having trailed him for a week, Freedman was convinced.
Mateta’s journey has been one of overcoming doubts. Freedman made the covert jaunt to Spain when Palace received information that Mainz were looking to sell amid reservations over Mateta’s character during a relegation battle.
Indeed, towards the end of his time at Mainz he was playing on the left side of a front three — which seemed strange, given his 6ft 3in frame is best suited to his preferred centre forward role.
At the time, Palace scouts had noticed many of Mateta’s goals were close-range finishes at the back post, a trait they believed indicated intelligence to accompany his physical attributes.
But Freedman’s recommendation was met with a lukewarm response. Palace only sanctioned a loan deal for Mateta, 23 at the time, in January 2021 — though that was made permanent 12 months later.
Roy Hodgson needed persuading amid concerns Mateta should offer more defensively. Patrick Vieira was then appointed as Hodgson’s successor ahead of the 2021-22 season and flitted between Christian Benteke, Odsonne Edouard, Mateta and even Wilfried Zaha in the lone striker role.
At the time, Zaha’s influence on the dressing room was significant and he would voice negative views of team-mates. Mail Sport understands that Mateta was on the end of a Zaha tongue-lashing on more than one occasion.
‘If you’re not the finished cut, the patience wasn’t always there with Wilf,’ explained a dressing room source. ‘But it’s big boys’ football, you have to deal with that.’
Former boss Roy Hodgson needed persuading, fearing Mateta should offer more defensively
Mail Sport also understands Mateta was at times on the end of a Wilfried Zaha tongue-lashing
Oliver Glasner likes his profile – physicality, ability to hold the ball up and bring others into play
Vieira’s departure and Hodgson’s return in March 2023 perpetuated that uncertainty. Indeed, during the closing days of Vieira’s reign, Italian side Genoa made a written approach to sign Mateta, who had privately expressed concerns at his lack of game time.
He stayed in south London, but the doubts remained. In researching Mateta’s spell at Palace, his dedication to training becomes abundantly clear.
‘He is an 8am-5pm guy, he’ll be in the gym when it’s still dark,’ said one source. Those who have watched Mateta’s career develop are quick to point out how he has become more muscular since 2021. ‘On the pitch, he is always doing extras. Repetition, particularly with his finishing,’ said a colleague.
Since Mateta’s arrival, only Michael Olise, who has since left for Bayern Munich, has outperformed his training stats. Oliver Glasner is certainly benefiting from Mateta’s dedication. And the striker, in turn, is benefiting from Glasner’s faith.
The Austrian was smitten from the second he clapped eyes on Mateta, on arriving as Hodgson’s replacement in February last year. He likes his profile — the physicality, his ability to hold the ball up, bringing team-mates into the equation and, most pertinently, his ability to finish.
Glasner has simplified Mateta’s game. Out of possession, Mateta is told to close down one centre back or the goalkeeper; in possession he is told to maintain a central position, not to run the channels, and bring the creative players into the game when the ball comes to him.
Mateta has scored 28 goals in Glasner’s 46 games in charge, and emerged as one of Palace’s leaders. One of the traits which resonated with Freedman in Marbella was his positivity and encouragement of those around him.
‘Brilliant guy,’ Palace chairman Steve Parish tells Mail Sport. ‘He is so good around the training ground with the other players and works so hard on and off the pitch.
Steve Parish tells Mail Sport Mateta is ‘so good around the training ground’ and ‘a brilliant guy’
By the time Crystal Palace took a chance on Mateta, he had already scored 62 senior goals
‘He is really funny, too. He is make-you-laugh funny.’
His journey hasn’t always been so chirpy. Disproving perceptions is tough. By the time Palace took a chance on Mateta, he had scored 62 senior goals. But wider interest had not followed. ‘What people saw was a player who was gangly, too tall, not great on the ball, fighting relegation at Mainz,’ said one Premier League scout.
Fast-forward four years and the judgments have changed. Ask Hodgson, and he would likely tell you he’s looking like the complete striker. Ask those around Vieira, and they would concur. Yet, moving forward, it is probable that perceptions will be key to determining Mateta’s future.
There is a big decision to be made this summer. Mateta turned down a new contract at the start of last season, though Palace have triggered a 12-month option on his deal that means his contract expires in 2027.
If Palace are to persuade Mateta to re-sign they will have to push their wage boundaries, which is something they were not willing to do last summer.
It remains to be seen if an agreement can be struck, though you would imagine the cost of finding a replacement for Mateta would outweigh that of tying him to a new deal.
And how would Mateta adapt to being a smaller fish in a bigger pond if he did move? ‘He is a top-10 centre forward. But if he is one of three or four being rotated, I don’t know if you get the same output because he needs to be the main man,’ said a source.
All that is for the future. Right now, business is ‘boooooooming’ for Mateta.
