In mid May, Jean Philippe Mateta spoke to the French media and threw his Crystal Palace future into doubt, saying he was set to have a chat with Oliver Glasner at the end of the season.
The same article said there’d been concrete contact over a move to Napoli, and it seemed pretty clear that information had come from the player’s camp.
All of it will have been frustrating for Crystal Palace fans, who had finally seen the 26-year-old come good since Glasner took over the Eagles.
Since then, it largely went quiet, but there’s two reports in Italian newspapers on Friday talking up interest from elsewhere.
Daniele Prade, who is La Viola’s sports director, has recruiting a striker as his number one goal this summer, and Mateta is one of a handful of options.
Gazzetta dello Sport also cover the Crystal Palace player, and their take is a Napoli one. The Serie A club are interested, and it’s claimed Mateta is ‘very fascinated’ by the idea of joining of them, which would fit in with his camp leaking their interest to the French media in May.
It’s believed, by the Italian newspaper at least, that Crystal Palace could open to a sale at €30m.
Napoli have better finances and could be parting with Victor Osimhen this summer, so that would seem a much likelier destination.
