Crystal Palace: ‘New’ Mateta hijack revealed as AC Milan ‘tug of war’ provides fourth transfer obstacle

Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta could reportedly miss out on a move to Serie giants AC Milan as a ‘tug of war’ is currently hindering a deal.

This January transfer window has generally been pretty dull, but Mateta has provided quite a bit of entertainment.

Earlier this month, it emerged that the Crystal Palace forward is looking to leave the Premier League club this month as he is in the final 18 months of his contract and wants to play for a Champions League club.

Aston Villa and Juventus initially looked to be the leading contenders to sign him, though they stepped away as Unai Emery’s side signed Tammy Abraham as a cheaper alternative, while the Serie A giants could not afford him in this window.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have also been sporadically linked with Mateta, though Nottm Forest were the next club to make a concrete move for him and it was even suggested that they agreed a deal with Palace.

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However, this would have been a sideways move for Mateta, so it is hardly surprising that he reportedly opted to reject Forest in favour of a move to AC Milan.

In recent days, it has felt like it was only a matter of time before Maeteta completed a move to AC Milan, though the player and club have encountered some issues.

On Monday morning, Sky Sports reported that problems regarding Mateta’s medical and former Chelsea star Christopher Nkunku could block a deal.

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They said: ‘Milan are sending a club doctor to examine Mateta on Monday before proceeding with the deal. The window closes at 7pm UK time for clubs in England and Italy.

‘There are also question marks over whether Milan will push ahead with the move in this window, considering that Christopher Nkunku does not want to leave.’

Now, a third issue, according to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb, is that there is a ‘tug of war’ between Mateta’s representatives and AC Milan over his salary.

And Italian reporter Gianluca Di Marzio says Mateta could yet end up at Juventus, who are ‘considering a move’ if the striker’s proposed switch to AC Milan collapses.

Di Marzio explains: ‘Milan already have an agreement with Crystal Palace for the player, but if it doesn’t pan out, the Bianconeri remain vigilant.

‘They would be different negotiations, Milan would immediately take him on a permanent deal while Juve could offer new terms to Crystal Palace. The last few hours are crucial to understanding his future.’

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