Crystal Palace stance on Jean-Philippe Mateta joining Man United

"This isn't going to change Palace's stance. He's been an important player for them both on and off the pitch, so they still want him to sign a new contract and they hope they can come to an agreement. The dispute over wages, it's always a difficult one because the club will have a limit of how high they're willing to go and they'll want to stand by that."

"It could create new problems because if they go over the top for one player, all of a sudden they get others knocking on the door asking for the same. So it will depend on whether they can reach a compromise, but as I say, it's definitely something Palace still want to do, it's just about how they do it. They'll be making plans, whether it's to do with money, maybe they bring players in to show him they want to be ambitious,"

Manchester United plan to sign a new number nine next summer to compete alongside Benjamin Sesko, who joined in 2025. One leading target is Jean-Philippe Mateta, who could be available at season's end. Crystal Palace have attempted to agree a new contract with Mateta but have not reached terms. Mateta is reportedly keen for a new challenge while Palace remain willing to negotiate and consider compromises on finances or squad investment. Club sources warn wage limits could provoke similar demands from other players. United's recent additions Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo strengthen the case for seeking another Premier League-proven forward.

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