Aston Villa have made contact over a potential move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta ahead of the September 1st transfer deadline.
Mateta has emerged as an alternative option after Chelsea placed a £65m price tag on Senegalese forward Nicolas Jackson, Villa’s primary striking target this summer.
The hefty demand from Chelsea is considered steep, particularly given the club were willing to loan Jackson to Bayern Munich last season.
Jackson is understood to be well known to Villa manager Unai Emery, and has been identified as a potential replacement for Ollie Watkins at the club.
Watkins was notably omitted from Villa’s squad for their 4-0 defeat against Brighton on Sunday, fuelling speculation over his future at the club.
Mateta, 29, is now firmly on Villa’s radar after entering the final year of his Crystal Palace contract, putting his long-term future at Selhurst Park in serious doubt.
The French striker came close to leaving Palace during the January transfer window, when AC Milan registered their interest in signing him.
Mateta has consistently outscored Jackson across the past three Premier League seasons, recording 16, 14, and 12 league goals compared to Jackson’s respective tallies of 14, 10, and 8.
The £60,000-a-week striker has also earned high praise from Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney, who described him as “one of the best strikers in Europe.”
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Mateta’s agents are actively working to secure a move before the deadline and have offered Villa the chance to sign the forward.
However, Villa face competition from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, who have also been approached by the player’s representatives.
Crystal Palace remain reluctant to sell their striker despite his determination to leave and are reportedly willing to risk losing him on a free transfer rather than accept a cut-price deal.