Nottingham Forest have made a significant move in the January transfer window, submitting a formal bid of £35 million to acquire Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. The French international has reportedly informed his current club of his desire to depart Selhurst Park as he seeks a fresh challenge.
Forest's Striking Ambitions
The Premier League side, currently positioned 17th in the table, are actively seeking to bolster their attacking options. This pursuit comes after a recent loan signing of the towering forward Lorenzo Lucca from Napoli, which includes an option for a permanent deal. Forest's offensive struggles are evident, with only Wolverhampton Wanderers having scored fewer goals in the top flight this campaign.
Palace's Stance and Mateta's Aspirations
Crystal Palace are understood to be reluctant to sanction the sale of Mateta without securing a suitable replacement first. The club is believed to be holding out for a package worth up to £40 million, despite the player having less than eighteen months remaining on his existing contract.
The 28-year-old forward has attracted attention from several clubs this month, including Juventus and Aston Villa. A primary motivation for Mateta is the opportunity to play Champions League football, which he hopes will enhance his prospects of being selected for the French national team squad for the upcoming summer World Cup. He earned his first senior call-up from manager Didier Deschamps last season.
Complex Club Dynamics
There exists a notable layer of animosity between Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace, stemming from a previous incident where Forest took Palace's place in the Europa League. This occurred after Palace were found to be in breach of UEFA's regulations concerning multi-club ownership.
The two clubs are set to face each other this Sunday, with Forest hosting Oliver Glasner's Palace side at the City Ground. Despite the three-point gap separating the teams in the league standings, Forest are reportedly prepared to meet Mateta's personal wage demands to facilitate the transfer.
Wider Transfer Market Activity
Forest's search for attacking reinforcements extends beyond Mateta. The club retains a strong interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Jørgen Strand Larsen, who is also admired by Crystal Palace and Leeds United. Additionally, Forest have been linked with a move for Olympiakos forward Mehdi Taremi.
Leeds United have already seen a bid for Strand Larsen rejected during this transfer window, which is scheduled to close next Monday. Meanwhile, Aston Villa, who were previously interested in Mateta, are now pursuing a deal to re-sign their former loanee, Tammy Abraham, from Besiktas.
Abraham's Potential Return
Tammy Abraham, the former Chelsea and England striker, joined Besiktas on loan last summer from Roma. The Turkish club subsequently activated a clause to purchase him permanently, but they are now poised to sell the player to Aston Villa. Abraham, who left Chelsea for Roma in 2021, scored 39 goals in 120 appearances for the Italian side and was part of their Conference League-winning squad in 2022. He spent the 2024-25 season on loan at AC Milan, netting 10 times in 44 games.
