Green light for Sunday flight awaited – Crystal Palace transfer approval pending

Jean-Philippe Mateta isn’t in Crystal Palace’s squad for their match against Nottingham Forest on Sunday. The 28-year-old has been pushing for a move to a big Italian club for over a week, and it doesn’t appear he’s overly bothered by which one.

Initially, the Frenchman was all set for Juventus, being plastered across the front pages of Turin newspapers. However, Juventus quickly lost patience and have been on the verge of signing about five different strikers during the winter market.

Mateta is now edging closer to AC Milan instead. However, Crystal Palace won’t let him go until they’ve got a replacement through the door.

Sunday’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport reports the footballer is ‘raring to go’ and is awaiting Crystal Palace approval to fly to Milan on Sunday.

Gazzetta cover the player’s social media strop, and explain he’s just desperate for the transfer to happen. He could fight for the Serie A title with Milan and have greater prominence ahead of the World Cup.

There doesn’t appear to be much panic from the Milan side of a deal. The Rossoneri could move on to others or make do with what they have.

Crystal Palace won’t budge

Sunday’s edition of Corriere dello Sport reports these are ‘crucial hours’ for the transfer. It’s again stated the Crystal Palace player is pushing things.

The Italian newspaper are quite poetic when describing Mateta’s tantrum: ‘And yet, last night at 7PM, Mateta opened Instagram, clicked the Stories button, and posted a cryptic yet emblematic one: a huge, puffing face with the classic closed eyes, furrowed eyebrows, and two puffs of white steam coming out of his nostrils. It signifies frustration, a sense of helplessness, even impatience.’

Mateta is said to have pleaded with Crystal Palace and spoken to Oliver Glasner, but there’s no use. The Premier League club need a replacement first and won’t budge.

Should the transfer collapse, Milan would return in the summer.