Oliver Glasner has conceded that Jean-Philippe Mateta has lost focus at Crystal Palace amid his potential move to AC Milan.
AC Milan have submitted a £35million bid for Mateta, who has requested to leave Palace this month.
The 28-year-old has 18 months remaining on his contract and Milan’s offer, just £5million short of Palace’s asking price, is testing Palace’s resolve in the final three days of the January transfer window.
Palace have yet to accept the bid and are unlikely to sanction Mateta’s departure unless they source a suitable replacement, but the Frenchman’s entourage have made their desire to join the Italian club clear.
Evann Guessand signed for Palace on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy, on Friday evening. Although that deal is separate from Mateta’s future.
Mateta, who hopes to represent his country at the World Cup in the summer, has long fancied a move to Serie A and is an avid observer of the Italian top-flight.
Glasner’s arrival at Palace in February 2024 coincided with Mateta’s peak form, with the striker scoring 40 goals in 93 appearances under the guidance of the FA Cup-winning boss.
However, Palace will be without Mateta for their trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, with Glasner telling the press on Friday afternoon that the forward has been omitted from the squad after becoming overwhelmed by the transfer talk.
“JP will not be in the matchday squad, but it’s nothing to do with a transfer right now,” said Glasner.
“Many things are going on and many people are trying to influence him. It made no sense [to play him] because he’s not focused.
“We need everyone focused to win. To be really clear, it can be that JP stays and is a Palace player at the end of the window or it could be that he has left the club and a new striker is in.
“ We know JP. I can’t read his mind. Sometimes he seems to be everywhere [mentally]. He scored a goal – eventually disallowed – at Sunderland and I thought ‘wow where is this coming from’.
"We have to prepare if something happens with JP [Mateta]" 🗣️
Oliver Glasner on Crystal Palace's plans for incoming's before the January deadline 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/XYQE9upHjW— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 30, 2026
“He’s 29, he knows his contract situation, he has the World Cup, he has Palace, he knows what he has here. He’s had the best two years of his career at Palace. He has this in his mind.
“He knows Crystal Palace and the players helped him to perform that way; he couldn’t have done it alone.
“We would all be really disappointed [if Mateta left without a replacement]. It’s a scenario nobody in the club wants and everybody in the club wants to avoid. I think this won’t happen”
Mateta had the opportunity to leave Palace in the summer transfer window when Atalanta made an approach.
But he decided to stay put at Palace after a conversation with Glasner during pre-season, which set his sights on the French national team.
Mateta made his France debut in October and has been named in consecutive camps, scoring two goals in three appearances.
“I’m in constant talks with the players, and this is something that didn't arrive two days ago, so this is a process, and we're always in talks.
“He had an offer in the summer, and I talked to him. His big dream was playing for France, and he thought he needed to play for a Champions League team to get called up.
“I spoke with him, we were in Austria and said JP: I think the best for a striker is to score goals and perform well, and I think this environment here gives you the best opportunity because you know the players, you are our top scorer since we work together, you will have your chances, and you will score here. This is what I know and this is what I can promise you. So I think the best environment and club to achieve your personal goal of being called up for France is to stay with us, and he decided to stay.
“When he was called up in October, he came and said: ‘Gaffer, thank you. You were right’.
"So this is a constant talk over weeks and months and years because I always want to understand my players.”
Mateta made his France debut in October and has been named in consecutive camps, scoring two goals in three appearances.
Uche better from the bench
With Mateta's starting spot up for grabs, Christantus Uche is not expected to start in the No.9 for Palace's trip to the City Ground on Sunday.
Instead, one of Brennan Johnson or Ismaila Sarr will lead the line, with Glasner explaining that Uche is better suited to being an impact substitute.
Uche has played just 748 minutes since joining Palace on a season-long loan from Getafe in the summer, scoring three times.
“Usually, I don't want to make three or four changes to change one position. I like to replace it with one-to-one so that everybody can play in their best position.
“Uche been more effective from the bench, with his nature. He's a player who plays with his instinct, which is completely explainable because he played professional football for just one year in Spain.
“It's a little bit tough to get him into a structure. When he starts, you have to explain what he has to do for the team. It’s a little bit tricky sometimes.
“But when he comes off the bench to have an impact, this can help because he does things you don't expect.
“He always gives us good energy. Knowing him for a couple of months and watching him in our training sessions, with what we expect from our strikers, this role suited him a little bit more.”
