Crystal Palace has declined a €34.7 million (£30m) bid from Italian club Atalanta for their star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. The 28-year-old French forward, who played a crucial role in Palace`s 2025 FA Cup victory, has been a consistent performer for the London club, scoring an impressive 41 goals in 104 appearances across all competitions over the past two seasons.
Mateta`s contract with Crystal Palace runs until 2027, following a contract extension triggered in December. The club`s decision to reject Atalanta`s offer suggests they view Mateta as a key part of their future plans.
Atalanta`s interest in Mateta comes as they seek to replace their departing top scorer Mateo Retegui, who recently transferred to Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah for €65 million. The Italian side is actively searching for a new center-forward to fill the void left by Retegui`s departure.
While Crystal Palace has rebuffed this initial approach, it remains uncertain whether they would consider improved offers for Mateta. The club`s stance may depend on their own transfer plans and the availability of suitable replacements.
Atalanta, meanwhile, is exploring alternative options in their striker search. Reports suggest they are also considering Fulham`s Rodrigo Muniz, Lecce`s Nikola Krstovic, and Genk`s Tolu Arokodare as potential targets.
The Serie A club faces additional challenges in their squad composition, with forward Ademola Lookman potentially leaving for Inter Milan and Gianluca Scamacca still recovering from injuries that sidelined him for much of the previous season.
As the transfer window progresses, it will be interesting to see if Atalanta returns with an improved bid for Mateta or turns its attention to other targets in their quest to reinforce their attacking options.