Juventus Miss Out On Jean-Philippe Mateta After Crystal Palace Talks Failure
An inflated price tag and agent commission saw the deal break down.
Juventus have ended their pursuit of Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Why Juventus Pulled Out Of Jean-Philippe Mateta Deal
According to The Athletic, the Serie A club are not willing to stump up Palace’s €40milllion (£34.7m) asking price. Instead, they are likely to turn their attention to Fenerbahce’s Youssef En-Nesyri, as reported by FootItalia.
Mateta had been open to moving to Turin, and personal terms would not have been an issue. Indeed, a salary of €4m net per year had been tabled, pending the frontman’s go-ahead.
However, Juventus did not make an official bid, believing that Mateta’s valuation was simply too high.
As per reports in Italy, Palace rejected an initial approach from the Old Lady. Comprising a €2m loan with a purchase option of €28m, the deal would have become mandatory had Juventus qualified for Europe.
The Premier League side were determined to stick to their guns, though. In recent days, head coach Oliver Glasner warned there would be a ‘price’ for the deal, with Mateta staying if the amount was not met.
Palace, who sold captain Marc Guehi to Manchester City and will lose Glasner in the summer, do not want to let the 28-year-old leave for less than his price tag. This makes the prospect of Juvenus reigniting their interest unlikely.
In addition, the hefty commission requested by the agents involved was also a stumbling block.
The former Mainz man has scored 56 goals in his 185 appearances for Palace, winning the FA Cup and the Community Shield. Meanwhile, Roma also wanted Mateta, while Atalanta were prepared to swoop.
It is not known whether either club will now step into the race.
Youssef En-Nesyri Deal Targeted
With their pursuit of Mateta seemingly ending in defeat, Juventus will push for En-Nesyri instead.
The 28-year-old, who played for Morocco in their dramatic Africa Cup of Nations final defeat by Senegal, will be allowed to leave this month. He could even go out on loan, despite being under contract until 2029.
The ace has scored seven goals in 15 Super Lig fixtures and would fulfil Luciano Spalletti’s wish for another striker. However, there could yet be a twist, with Napoli also firmly chasing his signature.
Juventus are also keeping a keen eye on Daniel Maldini, another Partenopei target. The 24-year-old has been earmarked as a potential back-up option for Kenan Yildiz and is likely to leave Atalanta in a low-cost switch.
Dan Davis
Dan is an experienced sports journalist and part-time lecturer. An expert on Serie A and Italian football, he has produced content for the likes of the Daily Mail, Reach PLC, GiveMeSport, FourFourTwo and GRV Media. While Channel 4's iconic Football Italia was a bit before his time, the nostalgia - and pastries - fuelled his love of all things Calcio.
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