Jean-Philippe Mateta 'ticks a massive box' for Arsenal from Crystal Palace

03/31/2025 01:09 PM

Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta fulfils a major criteria that has been tipped to make him stand out amid Arsenal’s pursuit of a striker this summer.

With the Gunners set for a third consecutive second-placed finish in the Premier League, many have pointed to their lack of a competent number nine as one of the main reasons for their inability get over the hump, and win their first title since 2004.

Whilst Bukayo Saka’s injury has been devastating, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have also been huge misses for Mikel Arteta, with the Spaniard resorting to using Mike Merino as a makeshift striker.

Even when both the German and Brazilian forwards are fit, neither are consistent goal-getters and it would be a surprise to see Arsenal’s new sporting director, Andrea Berta, not make finding a new striker one of his absolute top priorities this summer.

The Gunners have been linked with a number of names, including moves for Wolves’ Matheus Cunha, Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, Napoli’s (currently on-loan at Galatasaray) Victor Osimhen, and most recently, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, but whilst speaking talkSPORT, Jeff Stelling highlighted an interesting alternative to Ally McCoist.

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s Premier League experience a major benefit

In a discussion about Arsenal potentially signing Gyokeres, Stelling then asked McCoist what he thinks about Crystal Palace's main-man, Mateta, to which the ex-Rangers striker said: "Well, he's been brilliant and I've gotta say, particularly since Glasner's taken over that club.

"I think he's scored 25 in 40 [appearances] which is amazing."

Stelling then interjects to highlight how well the French striker also leads the line for Palace, to which McCoist responds: "Correct, he's a different proposition even to somebody like [Erling] Haaland, right, who, I would suggest doesn't lead the line as well as an Isak, or a Mateta, right.

"Maybe Mateta isn't gonna get as many goals as Haaland, but we don't know because he's playing in a team that's not creating just as many chances perhaps as City would.

"But I do take your point, absolutely take your point, the turnaround in Mateta's fortunes since the new manager's come in I think has been absolutely fantastic and it's been synonymous with the team itself."

McCoist then adds: "Is he worth more of a gamble than perhaps Gyokeres is? Yeah, yeah, because you're right in the respect that doing it in the division [Premier League] is ticking a massive box straight away."

Viktor Gyokeres may still suit Arsenal more despite Mateta’s Premier League experience

Football Insider Verdict

There is no doubting that should Mateta leave Crystal Palace this summer, whichever team lands the French striker will be fortunate to do so.

However, the former Mainz striker’s initial struggles upon joining the Eagles should not be ignored.

Having joined in the winter transfer window in 2022, it took Mateta two-and-a-half seasons to find his feet in England, and he only did so after Oliver Glasner‘s arrival at Selhurst Park.

Under previous manager, Roy Hodgson, Palace played a defensively stout, but offensively restricted 4-2-3-1 system, which often left the French striker isolated and forced to create chances for himself.

Mateta managed two goals in 29 appearances in the season prior to Glasner joining, since then, the Austrian has changed the Eagles’ system, moving to a 3-4-2-1 formation that pushes Palace’s midfielders closer to the French striker, with overlapping fullbacks offering the wide threat.

The reason this matters, is because Arteta‘s system is much more similar to the on Hodgson employed. Forward players are expected to be much more self-reliant and the striker can become increasingly isolated as a match wears on.

A striker who thrives when forced to do most of it by themselves? Gyokeres. Whilst the Swedish international has plenty of runners around him at Sporting, they tend to stay wide, often leaving the former Coventry man double-teamed.

If Arsenal continue to employ the same tactical set-up that they have for most of Arteta’s reign, Mateta may not be the striker for them, given his woes when previously.

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