01 / 09
Jean-Philippe Mateta joins Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace have signed Jean-Philippe Mateta on an 18-month loan deal, subject to international clearance, with an option to make the move permanent.
Paris-born Mateta, 23, has been impressing in the German Bundesliga for Mainz with 10 goals in 17 appearances across all competitions this season.
He began his professional career in the French third-tier, before a major move to seven-times champions Lyon. After excelling on loan with Le Havre, Mateta moved to Mainz, where he established himself as a regular in the German top-flight, scoring 27 goals in 71 games in total, including a hat-trick against SC Freiburg during this campaign.
On the international stage, Mateta was part of the France side that reached the last four of the Under-21 European Championships in 2019, scoring the opening goal in the semi-final.
Upon signing with Palace, Mateta said: “I’m very happy to come to Crystal Palace and I look forward to training. Playing in the Premier League was my dream when I was a child. Now I can play, I will show the fans of Crystal Palace what I can do.”
Club Chairman Steve Parish said: “We have followed Jean-Philippe’s development with keen interest for some time, and I’m so pleased that we have been able to bring him to south London.
“He is a player that is full of potential with a proven goal-scoring record, and his signing reiterates our commitment to ensuring we have a well-balanced squad in terms of youth and experience for the seasons ahead.”
Hear more from Jean-Philippe in his first interview as a Palace player below!
READ NEXT: All you need to know about Jean-Philippe Mateta
