Jean-Philippe Mateta Tells Palace He Wants Out As Juventus Sense Breakthrough
Jean-Philippe Mateta wants out of Crystal Palace in January.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 21 January 2026
Juventus have been handed a big transfer boost as Jean-Philippe Mateta has reportedly told Crystal Palace he wants to leave.
Speculation linking Mateta and Juventus has been going on for a number of weeks now as Juve look for attacking reinforcements.
Mateta is in Juve’s sights after starring for Palace since joining in 2022, bagging 56 goals and 13 assists in 185 appearances.
How Jean-Philippe Mateta decision changes the picture for Juventus
According to Fabrizio Romano, Jean-Philippe Mateta and his camp have informed Palace that he wants to leave the club in the January transfer window.
Juventus and Aston Villa have held negotiations with the French striker, with talks said to be ongoing.
🚨🇫🇷 Jean-Philippe Mateta and his camp have informed Crystal Palace about desire to leave the club.
Following talks with Aston Villa and Juventus, Mateta hopes for January move with decision now in Palace hands.
Negotiations remain ongoing. pic.twitter.com/2QXj0uuuxO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 21, 2026
Earlier this week, FootItalia relayed reports claiming Juve felt Mateta’s price tag was too high.
However, with Mateta and his camp now declaring their desire to leave this month, it complicates things for Palace.
Mateta is out of contract next summer, meaning Palace need to make a decision on the striker.
Contract talks appear to have stalled, so the Eagles must decide whether to cash in now, or risk losing him on a free transfer in 2027.
Could Palace potentially go lower than their initial €40m asking price? If so, Juventus will surely return to the table.
This could also put Juve’s Youssef En-Nesyri pursuit on ice if the Bianconeri feel the Mateta lead is active again.
In the meantime, Palace will need to decide what to do with Mateta now they have been backed into a corner.
Should the Frenchman leave, Palace would have just one senior striker in their ranks in Eddie Nketiah.
Aston Villa could cause Juventus problems in Jean-Philippe Mateta pursuit
At the same time, Juventus have a strong opponent for Jean-Philippe Mateta in Aston Villa.
The English Premier League side is flying high this season, sitting third in the table, seven points behind leaders Arsenal.
English clubs boast considerable financial muscle, and €40m would not make as much of a dent in Villa’s coffers as it would for Juve.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
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