Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta’s long-term future is uncertain, with talks over a new contract understood to have stalled.
The France international’s existing deal expires in June 2027 – and initial discussions over fresh terms earlier this year were described as positive by well-placed sources.
But a resolution is still to be found, with insiders indicating Mateta is in no rush to commit his future to the Eagles.
Mateta has established himself as one of the most dangerous centre-forwards in the Premier League, with his form helping him break into the France team.
He has scored two goals in three games for Didier Deschamps’ side since making his debut for them in October.
Indeed, BBC Sport has been told that with Mateta now in with a realistic chance of making Deschamps’ World Cup squad, the 28-year-old’s current preference is to assess his options after the tournament in North America.
With only a year left on his contract after the World Cup ends next July, Mateta would be in a strong position if he had a good tournament.
Sources insist that dialogue between Mateta and the club is ongoing, with hope he could still sign a new Palace deal.
A number of European clubs have shown an interest in Mateta in recent months, including Serie A side Atalanta.
Uncertainty over his future has surfaced at a time when Oliver Glasner’s disappointment regarding the club’s transfer activity has come to the fore once more.
Glasner, who led Palace to their first major trophy when they lifted the FA Cup in May, has been juggling the club’s domestic campaign with their first foray into European football.
Speaking to Match of the Day after Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United, the Austrian said: “We missed a couple of chances in July and August, in the transfer window, to make it easier for us but again we will stick together and make it better.”
Glasner continued in his post-match news conference: “If you play European football for the first time in your history, you should invest and not save.
“I think January is too late [to add]. We will have played more than 50% of our games.
“Everything was pretty clear, and I didn’t say anything, but today I think it is also time to speak about it, that we missed the chance to play an even better season in the summer.”
Glasner’s own future is unclear. The former Eintracht Frankfurt coach’s current deal expires at the end of the season, and there is no agreement in place to extend it.
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