Jean-Philippe Mateta will decide next week whether to have surgery on an ongoing knee issue which quashed his chances of joining AC Milan in the January transfer window, Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner has revealed.
The France forward has been playing with a swollen knee for much of this season and failed a medical in Italy on Transfer Deadline Day, thwarting a move which would have seen him join the Serie A giants for a £26m fee.
Glasner was left unsurprised the 28-year-old failed his medical and now a fourth consultant, who Mateta previously worked with while playing for Mainz in 2022, will advise on his best course of action to be fit for France’s World Cup campaign this summer.
The Palace boss said: “I mention often that we have to manage his knee, so the most important thing is the player’s welfare. There were no concerns we have taken a higher risk, we have rested him in some games and training sessions.
“It was not a big surprise that he could fail. He knew it was possible. When you play for two-and-a-half months with a swollen knee, it has to be managed and we all know there is an issue with his knee.
“He was not pleased but when you visit three doctors, you get three opinions. This is what we have right now.
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“We have an opinion from an English doctor, one from an Italian, one from French and a German one is coming too who he trusts from when he was a Mainz player.
“We will see another doctor on Monday and then we will sit together and make a final decision. There are two ways to deal with this one – one is to manage it until after the World Cup, he has a dream of playing for France at the World Cup.
“The other option is that he gets surgery. We don’t know [which works better for the World Cup]. Surgery could keep him out for two months, it could be three months, or it could be six to nine months.”
Mateta’s move was not the only one to fall apart on Deadline Day with Dwight McNeil’s proposed transfer to Palace collapsing despite the player passing a medical, leaving his partner to say the situation had been “heartbreaking” for their family.
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But Glasner offered a direct response when asked whether his forward may be similarly affected by his failed transfer.
“He’s under contract here, you have rights and duties. I can’t say it’s raining here and sunny in Austria, I’ll go skiing for three days when we have a game because it might be nicer there. I have duties as well,” he said.
“If he doesn’t undergo surgery and the knee is okay, he will start training with us and be integrated and have to fight with his position in the club like everybody else.
“He knows that but he is fine with it because JP is a great guy. Dealing with disappointment takes a few days, it’s sometimes best not to speak with someone the next day and leaving it a few days, but I’ve had a good talk with him and I’m pretty sure everything will be fine.”
