In a recent report, The Evening Standard stated that Aston Villa have made contact to sign Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta this summer. It has been claimed that the Villans are eyeing a move to acquire the services of the French striker but the Eagles are unwilling to let him go this off-season.
Mateta’s Impressive Record In The Premier League
Mateta had a productive campaign at the London club after he put in a series of impressive displays as the focal point of their attack. The French talent banged in 19 goals and picked up five assists in 39 appearances for Crystal Palace last season in various competitions.
The 27-year-old led the line well for the Eagles as he averaged 1.3 shots, 0.9 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per 90 minutes in Premier League football. However, he lacked quality when interchanging possession with his teammates based on his pass completion rate of 73.8% in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
Mateta is under contract at Selhurst Park until the summer of 2026 which could make it difficult for Aston Villa to get a deal done for him on the cheap in this transfer period.
Should Aston Villa Boss Unai Emery Get Mateta On Board?
Mateta is proficient at finding a yard of space for himself to get a few strikes in at goal. He can be a decent finisher in the final third and can create the odd chance for his teammates up top.
The French sensation is also quite clever with his movements in and around the opponent’s penalty area. He already knows the Premier League well and won’t take much time to settle into life at Villa Park if Unai Emery can devise a way to snap him up this summer.
At 27, Mateta has his peak years ahead of him which makes him a worthy target for the West Midlands outfit to pursue in this transfer window. He would bring more firepower to Emery’s frontline. The Frenchman has what it takes to offer some healthy competition for Ollie Watkins at Aston Villa over the next few years. Hence, the Villans would be wise to try everything they can to get Mateta on board this off-season.
