Mateta to AC Milan in doubt after further medical checks requested

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s proposed move to AC Milan has been thrown into doubt on deadline day, with Crystal Palace waiting on the outcome of further medical checks amid concerns over a long-standing knee issue.

AC Milan have agreed a deal worth around £30million to sign the Palace striker, but the Serie A side have requested additional examinations after learning Mateta has been managing knee pain throughout the season. According to reports, Milan have sent club doctors to London to conduct further tests before giving the final green light.

The situation has introduced late uncertainty into what had been shaping up as one of Palace’s biggest outgoing transfers of the January window.

Jean-Philippe Mateta has scored 10 goals in all competitions this season and has remained available despite discomfort in his knee. Palace have so far avoided sending the striker for surgery, allowing him to continue playing through the issue.

However, Milan are keen to assess the risk more closely. Palace right-back Daniel Muñoz suffered a similar injury earlier in the campaign, underwent surgery in December and missed around six weeks of action — a comparison that has reportedly raised red flags in Italy.

With the January transfer window closing at 7pm tonight, time is now a critical factor.

Following Mateta’s agreement with Milan, Palace moved quickly to secure a replacement, striking a club-record £48million deal for Wolves striker Jørgen Strand Larsen.

The structure of that deal is understood to include £43m up front, with a further £5m in performance-related add-ons. Whether Palace will proceed regardless of Mateta’s future remains unclear, but the two transfers are closely linked in terms of squad planning and financial flexibility.

If Milan were to pull out or delay, Palace could find themselves reassessing the timing — though not necessarily the intent — behind their move for Strand Larsen.

Mateta is keen to leave Selhurst Park as he looks to boost his chances of forcing his way into the France squad ahead of this summer’s World Cup. He has no intention of signing a new contract with Palace and is understood to be open to a move abroad.

While Nottingham Forest have also registered interest, Mateta is said to be particularly attracted by the prospect of playing in Serie A and remains hopeful the Milan deal can still be completed.

The outcome now rests on Milan’s medical assessment and how comfortable they are proceeding with a striker carrying a knee issue that has not yet required surgery. With the deadline approaching, clarity is expected quickly — either in the form of final approval or a late rethink that could reshape Palace’s deadline-day business.