Jean-Philippe Mateta will decide next week whether he will undergo surgery on an ongoing knee problem that has scuppered his chances of joining AC Milan in the January transfer window, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has revealed.
The French forward has had a swollen knee for most of this season and failed a medical in Italy on transfer deadline day, foiling a move that could have seen him join the Serie A giants for a fee of £26m.
Glasner was not surprised that the 28-year-old failed his medical and now a fourth consultant, who previously worked with Mateta during his spell at Mainz in 2022, will advise on the best course of action fit for France’s World Cup campaign this summer.
The Palace manager said: “We have often stated that we need to look after his knee, so the most important thing is the player’s welfare. We had no concerns about taking greater risks and rested him for some matches and training sessions.”
“It wasn’t that surprising that he could fail. He knew it was possible. When you play for two and a half months with a swollen knee, it needs care and we all know he has a problem with his knee.
“He wasn’t happy, but when you visit three doctors you get three opinions, and this is what we have now.
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Sky Sports News’ Cave Solhekol explained why Mateta’s move to AC Milan fell through and how Crystal Palace striker Mateta can respond.
“We received opinions from a British doctor, an Italian doctor, a French doctor and a German doctor whom I had trusted since my time as a Mainz player.
“We will see another doctor on Monday and we will sit down together and make a final decision. There are two ways to solve this problem. One is to manage until the World Cup is over. He has a dream of playing for France at the World Cup.
“Another option is for him to have surgery. I don’t know (which is better for the World Cup). The surgery could take two months, it could take three months, it could take six to nine months.”
Mateta’s move was not the only one to fall apart on deadline day, with Dwight McNeil’s proposed move to Palace falling through despite the player passing a medical, with his partner saying the situation was “heartbreaking” for the family.
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Jamie Carragher has spoken about striker Jorgen Strand Larsen and whether he could play up front alongside Mateta.
But Glasner had a direct answer when asked whether his forward could be similarly affected by the transfer failure.
“He has a contract here and you have rights and obligations. I can’t say it’s rainy and sunny in Austria. I’ll go skiing for three days because it might be better there when there’s a race. I have obligations too,” he said.
“If he doesn’t have surgery and his knee is okay, he will start training with us, he will be integrated and he will have to fight for his place at the club like everyone else.”
“He knows it, but it’s okay because JP is a great guy. It takes a few days to process disappointment. Sometimes it’s best to leave for a few days without talking to someone the next day. But I had a great conversation with him and I’m confident everything will be okay.”
