Ligue 1 strugglers St Etienne agreed a deal to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta before Premier League Crystal Palace triggered the option-to-buy clause in his contract, sports coordinator Loic Perrin tells L’Equipe.
It’s a funny old game, football.
As recently as late-December, it looked for all the world that Mateta was on his way out of Selhurst Park.
The Mainz loanee had played just 61 minutes of Premier League football in Palace’s first 18 games under Patrick Vieira. He didn’t even travel with the matchday squad on a fair few occasions.
But, as COVID started to bite and Vieira was forced to shuffle his pack around the festive period, Mateta was handed a chance he probably thought was never going to arrive. And the striker seized it in style.
A wonderfully-taken goal in the 3-0 victory over Norwich City breathed fresh life into Mateta’s Crystal Palace career. He hasn’t missed a single game since then, producing another impressive finish in the FA Cup clash with Millwall and an assist against Liverpool.
On deadline day, Palace finally brought an end to the uncertainty over Mateta’s future, triggering the £9 million purchase option in his contract. Much to St Etienne’s frustration.
Were Crystal Palace right to keep Mateta?
“We are happy with what we have been able to do. We respected the desired profile: players who speak the language, know Ligue 1 and have top-level experience,” says Loic Perrin, the Les Verts legend now working behind the scenes at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard.
Perrin adds that Saint Etienne also considered approaches for Diego Costa and Bafetimbi Gomis.
“(But) the ideal player is hard to find.
“The first file on the table was that of Jean- Philippe Mateta. After reaching an agreement with him and staying in constant contact, he started playing and scoring in England.
“Crystal Palace exercised the option to buy him. Good for him.”
Crystal Palace’s sudden U-turn, however, does little for St Etienne’s survival prospects. Les Verts are bottom of the Ligue 1 pile, winning just three of their 22 games thus far.
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