The progress of Jean-Philippe Mateta under Oliver Glasner has been a delight for Crystal Palace fans to watch unfold at the end of the 2023/24 Premier League season.
The 26-year-old has been playing at Selhurst Park since 2021, with glimpses of his quality but only a handful of goals to his name before this campaign.
Mateta started the season in a similar fashion, scoring three goals under Roy Hodgson before he left the club.
Glasner was appointed the new Palace boss in February and since then, the striker has been finding the back of the net for fun.
13 goals in as many games has seen the Crystal Palace fans adopt Mateta as their new cult hero, with a catchy chant and celebration to follow.
A final day hat-trick against Aston Villa at Selhurst Park topped off an incredible end to the season for the Frenchman, who will be looking to pick up that form after the summer break.
Jean-Philippe Mateta sets goal scoring record
Crystal Palace can’t stop scoring and neither can Mateta, who has written himself into the history books once again.
By scoring against Aston Villa, the striker has found the back of the net in seven games at Selhurst Park in a row.
Mateta becomes only the second Frenchman in Premier League history to manage that, with Arsenal star Thierry Henry setting the record in 2004.
While the season is now over, the Palace forward has a chance to extend that record next season in the side’s first game back at home.
The Eagles are still awaiting the draw for the fixtures, however, if they pick up with the form they’ve had at the end of the season, they could easily dispatch anyone in the league.
Jean-Philippe Mateta transfer decision
One issue that Crystal Palace will have to consider over the summer is the future of Mateta, for several reasons.
The first is that the striker’s contract expires in 2026, meaning that his value could significantly drop in the next year as he nears the end of his deal.
On top of that, there has been reported transfer interest in Mateta from clubs across Europe after his impressive run of form.
Any substantial offer could leave Palace in a bind to decide the future of the striker, whether that’s letting him leave while his valuation is high or keeping him with the risk of that dropping off.
It remains to be seen which route the club could decide to go, should teams pounce on their interest.
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