The framework of a deal is in place for AC Milan to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace.
The striker, who is to be left out of the squad for Sunday’s trip to Nottingham Forest, wants the move to Milan, but it is being held up at the moment while Palace try to sign a replacement.
Mateta is waiting for permission from Palace to fly from London to Italy to have a medical and sign for Milan.
Sky Sports News understands it is now down to Palace to make the final call to allow the deal to be finalised.
Palace are still trying to sign Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolves despite hitting a stumbling block in negotiations on Thursday. The add-ons in the potential £50m deal have been the sticking point.
Milan are offering Mateta a three-and-a-half year contract worth £3m a year after tax. He believes signing for the Italian giants would improve his chances of playing for France at the World Cup.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner said on Friday that Mateta would not feature against Forest, who also made an offer for the Frenchman, because his head was not in the right place to play.
“It’s nothing to do with the transfers, he is just not in the right place and doesn’t feel in the right place to play,” Glasner said in his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Forest, live on Super Sunday.
“We have to protect the team and protect him, he will not travel with us to Nottingham.”
When pushed for more detail on Mateta’s absence this weekend, Glasner added: “Again, there is so much noise, so much speculation, so many things going on.
“We need every single player at their best and he isn’t at his best right now with all the noise that happens.
“It can be football noise, but if someone has private issues where they can’t focus on football, then it makes no sense to play.
Jean-Philippe Mateta celebrates after giving Crystal Palace the lead against Fulham
“He can’t help the team and perform at his top level. We decided it is better not to play him. We have to prepare if something happens [with Mateta].”
Glasner also stated it is possible Mateta remains at the club after the January transfer window closes on Monday.
He continued: “Again, to be clear, it can be that he stays, and he is a Palace player on February 2, and it can be that he has left the club and a new striker is in.
“These are the two situations we are talking about and discussing right now.”
Who will Palace sign to replace Mateta?
Evann Guessand has joined Crystal Palace from Aston Villa
Palace want to get a replacement before Mateta can leave. They have completed the initial loan signing of Guessand from Aston Villa and remain in talks to sign Strand Larsen from Wolves.
The deal for Guessand includes a £28m obligation to buy that is triggered if he makes a certain number of appearances. Juventus showed interest but it came too late to affect anything.
The Ivory Coast international has agreed a four-year contract at Selhurst Park, if and when the deal becomes permanent. He travelled to London on Thursday to finalise the move and completed a medical on Friday.
Palace’s Strand Larsen deal, which was more or less verbally agreed for a potential £50m (£45m + £5m) on Thursday, was hanging in the balance on Thursday evening over a disagreement on the add-ons.
Leeds are also still interested in Strand Larsen after having an initial bid rejected but will not go above £40m to sign him.
Glasner: Palace is a challenging situation currently
Glasner went on to admit that balancing fixtures with the transfer window is not easy but insists the club are working hard to prepare for all possibilities come the end of Deadline Day on Monday.
Palace have already lost captain Marc Guehi in a £20m deal to Manchester City on January 19.
“To be honest, it looks like the entire year, especially in summer, and right now it is not the easiest way to deal with for the group and for everyone,” Glasner said.
“The club is working almost 24 hours a day right now. Marc [Guehi] left two weeks ago and nobody is in.
“You can imagine it is not so easy – every team wants to play a successful season, so it is not so easy that you can get the players at the end of January. I see the club working hard to get players in.
“So much noise, so many players leaving and leaving on Deadline Day or the day before and all this noise around us. Yes, it is really challenging.
“Challenging for the players and I can’t praise them enough. I see how hard they are working the whole week and how they’re dealing with these circumstances.
“We will travel tomorrow with 13 on-field players, plus Kaden Rodney from our academy. Nobody is complaining. We will be able to win with this group of players at Nottingham. It is a challenging situation.”
Sunday 1st February 1:55pm
Kick off 2:00pm
