Crystal Palace turn down €7m offer for player – He wants to leave, ‘hoping to find solution quickly’
Yet to feature under Roy Hodgson this season at Crystal Palace, Jean-Philippe Mateta is going to need a new team by the end of the summer, it seems.
Thankfully for the Frenchman, RB Leipzig in Germany, who will know him well from his time at 1.FSV Mainz 05, are keen to bring him back to the Bundesliga.
L’Equipe on Monday report the Crystal Palace forward was the subject of a €7m bid from the Germans over the weekend, which the Eagles decided to turn down.
It’s pointed out that Mateta ‘still wants to leave’ Selhurst Park before the end of the transfer window, and while a few clubs such as Genoa are keen on a loan, it’s Bundesliga sides who have ‘moved forward’ the most ‘these past few days’.
Leipzig put a bid ‘estimated at €7m’ on the table for the 26-year-old, but that wasn’t enough to convince Crystal Palace.
This clearly wasn’t what the player was hoping for, because the French newspaper state Mateta ‘is hoping to find a solution quickly’.
Joining the club for €11m after an initial loan, the former France U21 international has scored 10 goals and assisted another in 67 appearances for Crystal Palace.
Arteta calls on Arsenal to ‘send out’ a ‘message’ against Crystal Palace
As Arsenal get ready for their upcoming fixture against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday, the importance of this match is not lost on the manager or the fans.
With memories of last season’s impressive victory at the same venue, Mikel Arteta is keen to ensure his side delivers a performance echoing their title aspirations.
Arsenal’s 2-0 victory at Selhurst Park last season marked a turning point in their form. After the win, the Gunners went on to claim victories in nine of their next 10 league matches.
Discussing the team’s evolution since that match, Mikel Arteta said, “Yes, and it helps the confidence of the team when we go into games like this and impose yourself and send out that message.”
He also emphasised the internal importance of such a victory, “I’m more worried about the message we send to ourselves than any external one. But I think it was an important one.”
Coming off the back of a 2-1 win against Nottingham Forest, Arteta and his Arsenal side are keen to carry forward their momentum.
The manager acknowledges the unique challenges of playing away, especially at venues like Selhurst Park, stating, “You have to go to these grounds and impose yourself and it’s very difficult to do that.”
The Arsenal head coach also noted the strengths of the Crystal Palace team, “We had some experiences before at Brentford on that. It’s going to be different on Monday.
“They are extremely well organised, they don’t concede too much, and it’s going to be a tough test for us.”
The recent addition of players like Kai Havertz and Declan Rice gives Arsenal a physical edge, which Arteta believes will be crucial.
“We have to have a physical game. We have to be ready for that and now we have a squad more capable to play that game much better,” he explained.
Furthermore, there’s anticipation surrounding Oleksandr Zinchenko, who might make his debut for the season after finally recovering from a calf injury.
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