AC Milan’s Bid For Wantaway Crystal Palace Star Jean-Philippe Mateta Rejected
The 28-year-old is firmly on Max Allegri's wishlist.
Ben Horlock
Updated on 23 January 2026
As per the latest Jean-Philippe Mateta transfer news, Crystal Palace have turned down AC Milan’s bid for the France forward.
Reports from Foot Mercato revealed that AC submitted an offer to the south Londoners on January 23. However, the Rossoneri were swiftly rebuffed.
A number of outlets already confirmed that Mateta has agreed on personal terms with the Serie A giants. Therefore, Max Allegri is set to test Palace’s resolve once again in the coming days.
Milan have submitted a bid on Friday to sign Jean Philippe Mateta but it was turned down by Crystal Palace.
Mateta has an agreement with Milan
[@Santi_J_FM, @footmercato] pic.twitter.com/B3Es5fN5J9— Milan Eye (@MilanEye) January 23, 2026
Jean-Philippe Mateta Transfer News
Since former Juventus target Jean-Phillipe Mateta turned down the chance to move to Saudi Arabia, interest in the 28-year-old star has continued to heighten in Europe.
AC Milan are now the frontrunners to sign the wantaway Crystal Palace man as Juve picked Youssef En-Nesryi instead. The Bianconeri’s talks with the Eagles broke down earlier in the week.
That meant Luciano Spalletti prioritized En-Nesryi who is set to sign in the next 24-48 hours. And with that, AC won’t face any direct competition from Serie A rivals for Mateta’s signature.
A number of English Premier League sides also remain keen. However, the France international is a ‘huge fan‘ of Italy’s elite soccer club competition and that is all the incentive Milan needs.
The initial offer that was turned down is simply owing to Palace’s valuation not being met. Once the two clubs can reach an agreement on the fee, Mateta will edge closer to his San Siro switch.
AC Milan Transfer News
With a move for Jean-Philippe Mateta requiring some more attention, Christian Pulisic’s AC Milan contract talks have been put on ice until the Spring.
Having Pulisic commit to Milan will be a huge relief from the Rossoneri’s perspective. Having the USMNT star sign on the dotted line will act as a springboard for other global names to join.
As reported by FootItalia, Real Madrid attacker Brahim Diaz is on AC’s radar. So to is Liverpool defender Joe Gomez as well as Weston McKennie, John Stones and Hellas Verona starlet Giovane.
Much of the Rossoneri’s transfer activity will depend on the departures of Christopher Nkunku and Santiago Gimenez. Both have struggled at the San Siro but can still generate sizable fees from interested parties.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also set to move on. His expected departure would help in Milan’s pursuit of Tiago Gabriel. The towering Lecce defender is widely considered as one of Serie A’s finest up-and-coming talents.
Ben Horlock
Ben has a long standing devotion to Italian soccer and in particular, Serie A. Ben grew up watching legendary presenter James Richardson deliver the latest news and views with the daily papers and breakfast in hand. Not only does Ben follow Italy's top soccer division, he is an avid follower of all the major European leagues. Ben is an expert on all things Serie A and has produced a number of features and news articles for FootItalia as well as UK-based outlets such as HITC, 90min, GiveMeSport and Betfair. In the US, Ben has been published on ESPN and Sports Illustrated.
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