Proven Prem striker to spark Tottenham, Aston Villa transfer scramble – but deal will have to wait

Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are both likely to make a move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta in the January window, according to fresh reports.

Both clubs have been on the hunt for new No.9s late in the window, with Spurs bringing Omar Marmoush from Manchester City on a loan-to-buy deal, while Villa snapped up Nicholas Jackson from Chelsea after losing Ollie Watkins to the Saudi Pro League.

However, it appears that both clubs are already looking ahead to the winter window to bolster their forward lines, with any hopes of signing Mateta before Tuesday’s 11pm deadline now rated highly unlikely.

The fact that the 28-year-old suffered a hamstring injury in training has not helped his hopes of securing a late-window exit, having already declared he wanted out of Selhurst Park earlier in the summer with just a year remaining on his contract.

And now a fresh report from Football Insider claims that Tottenham and Villa will ‘turn to Mateta if they need a new frontman this winter’, especially since he ‘will be available for a cut-price fee’.

Palace will be fully aware that January will be their last chance to get any sort of fee for Mateta before he can leave on a free next summer.

DON’T MISS: All the done deals by Premier League clubs in the summer 2026 transfer window

Mateta set to spark January signing frenzy

The French attacker will also have the option of signing a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club in January, or just wait until the summer for a big payday when he signs elsewhere as a free agent.

The report adds that several teams are expected to make attempts to sign him in January, while Manchester United were tipped to make a late bid for the attacker this summer.

Spurs and Villa are well-placed to make a move in January, though, depending on how things go with Marmoush and Jackson respectively.

Tottenham are also facing the prospect of having an unhappy Richarlison still on their books by the time the winter rolls around, which could leave a space available for a new striker if they can find a suitor for the Brazilian.