Mateta Faces Uncertain Future For Club And Country

Crystal Palace guardant Jean-Philippe Mateta finds himself successful a difficult position arsenic he nary uncertainty considers what's adjacent aft a dream move to AC Milan collapsed down complete issues pinch his medical.

Palace head Oliver Glasner has spoken publically astir Mateta's issues pinch a knee wounded successful caller weeks.

And that niggle whitethorn explicate nan striker's mediocre form; he has scored conscionable erstwhile since nan commencement of December.

The ailment, however, didn't forestall nan subordinate from trying to unit a move distant from Selhurst Park during the last days of nan January transportation window.

But pinch Mateta now stuck astatine Palace aft 2 rounds of aesculapian tests spooked Milan officials capable to propulsion retired of a woody worthy £30m, his mind will move to nan contiguous future.

Sources person indicated to BBC Sport that Palace were up beforehand pinch Milan complete Mateta's knee issues, sending nan Italian nine afloat aesculapian reports towards nan extremity of past week successful mentation for a woody being concluded.

But, according to sources successful Italy, Milan's reservations were complete Mateta's correct knee. The 28-year-old's meniscus had ruptured successful 2019 erstwhile playing for Mainz and he underwent room that kept him retired for astir six months.

In their 2 examinations of Mateta, nan Serie A nine came to nan conclusion that nan striker would apt require an cognition to cure nan problem, described arsenic an 'inflammation' of nan knee.

It is Milan's position that nan rumor cannot resolved by therapy and load management.

The imaginable of room does look nan communal consciousness attack here.

It will let nan subordinate to proceed his profession free of nan symptom he has struggled pinch successful caller weeks. Likewise, it would thief easiness immoderate concerns his early suitors whitethorn person complete his fittingness up of immoderate move distant from Selhurst Park.

It would besides suit Palace to a constituent arsenic it would apt eliminate nan anticipation of his existent knee problems arising arsenic an obstacle towards immoderate early sale.

Mateta's existent woody expires successful 2027 erstwhile Palace would suffer him for nothing, truthful nan imaginable of trading nan subordinate this summertime will surely beryllium considered.

But pinch nan chance of playing successful his first World Cup looming large, immoderate room for Mateta whitethorn person implications towards his action for nan tournament.

Depending connected nan timescale of betterment and rehabilitation, an cognition would eat into nan clip Mateta has to person France head Didier Deschamps that he is worthy of a spot for Les Bleus this summer.

The nine grounds signing of Jorgen Strand Larsen will besides effect Mateta's first-team opportunities betwixt now and nan summer, too, fixed nan £48m outlay.

Mateta has scored 2 goals successful 3 matches for France since his debut past year. Fulfilling his World Cup ambition is wrong scope but he is facing having constricted minutes connected nan transportation for nan remainder of nan play arsenic he looks to reenforce his world case.

And that's nan quandary that faces Mateta arsenic he contends pinch nan aftermath of his grounded move to nan San Siro.