Jean-Philippe Mateta’s agents hold meeting with Liverpool
The latest player to be linked with a move to Anfield is Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta
Liverpool have been busy in the transfer market as Arne Slot’s side look to retain the Premier League title.
Slot has already welcomed six new faces, including Freddie Woodman, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Armin Pecsi.
The Premier League champions are expected to make at least one or two signings in defence and attack, with the future of Ibrahima Konate, Luis Diaz, and Darwin Nunez still uncertain.
Alexander Isak of Newcastle United and Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt have all been linked, as the Reds seek a Jarell Quansah replacement.
The Reds could still have more work to do in the final seven weeks of the window.
The latest player to be linked with a move to Anfield is Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta.
According to Foot Mercato, the Premier League champions are keen on Jean-Philippe Mateta.
The report claims that Mateta and his agent met with Liverpool representatives in Paris as they plot out a move for the striker, whose current deal runs out in 2027 after the Eagles triggered a 12-month extension on his contract.
Liverpool will face stiff competition from Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Marseille.
Mateta has had a stellar couple of seasons for Palace after helping them win the FA Cup and being their top scorer for the past two years. He has scored 19 and 17 goals, respectively, in the last two campaigns.
Crystal Palace are, meanwhile, in talks with Mateta over signing a new contract, according to BBC Sport.
It is believed that a full agreement is still to be reached, but it is understood that a deal is now close.
Liverpool are in the market for a striker and new targets are starting to emerge.
The Reds have not exactly been very secretive regarding their desires this summer and almost everyone knows that they desperately want a striker through the door.
They have been linked with the likes of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike all summer long and, although those links still persist, other strikers are emerging as targets.
One of these is Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, with reports suggesting that Liverpool have held a meeting with his representatives to discuss a potential Anfield move.
This has come as a surprise to many as he has not been a serious candidate before, although Reds fans do not seem to mind it too much, as long as one condition is met.
The Reds are under a little bit of pressure to get this one right as the last time they bought a striker, it did not exactly work out, with Darwin Nunez never hitting the heights.
However, most fans will be able to trust Richard Hughes given what he has pulled off this summer, although they still do not see Mateta as anything more than a back-up option.
One fan wrote: “Surely as a backup? We went from Isak and Ekitike to Mateta?” Another fan put: “Bringing him in as a backup would be a smart move. He might not be the flashiest player, but one thing’s certain — the Frenchman knows how to score goals.”
