Sources: Jean-Philippe Mateta will leave Crystal Palace after final contract decision
Jean-Philippe Mateta will leave Crystal Palace in 2027 and will not put pen to paper on a new contract, sources have told Football Insider.
The only question mark surrounding the 29-year-old's future is now whether he will leave in January or upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season.
A number of clubs in the Premier League and across Europe have been keeping a close eye on his situation, and the Eagles could open the door to offers in January.
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, Crystal Palace are now resigned to losing Mateta and a number of his suitors have been placed on alert.
The France international has struggled with an injury in the early stages of the season, limiting his impact under Pierre Sage, but remains a key player for the Eagles.
Crystal Palace opted to block Mateta's exit during the summer as they view him as part of their plans despite his contract situation, but that could change with months left on his deal.
How do Crystal Palace feel about losing Jean-Philippe Mateta?
Football Insider revealed on 25 August that Crystal Palace were demanding £25million to sell Mateta in the closing stages of the summer transfer window.
However, the Eagles are also content to allow the striker to run down his contract and leave on a free next summer, in exchange for another year of him leading the line.
Mateta has made no secret of his desire to leave Selhurst Park, and even tried to have his contract voided recently, but he will finally get his move after the turn of the year.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "His future is pretty much certain at Palace right now, he’s in the final year of his contract and we do expect him to leave Palace.
"The question is about whether that's in January or next summer when his contract expires, that's the decision Crystal Palace have to make.
"He obviously came very close to leaving last January when that move to Milan was agreed, but it eventually fell through after a medical.
"There are a number of clubs looking at Mateta, so a lot will depend on what Palace want to do and whether they see January as their last chance to cash in on him.
"But Palace are resigned to losing him at some point in the near future, it's just about whether it happens in January or let him leave when his contract expires in the summer."
Which clubs could make moves to sign Mateta?
Mateta's availability has placed a number of high-profile clubs across Europe on high alert, with the possibility of a free transfer set to appeal to a number of his suitors.
He came close to joining AC Milan in the last January transfer window, but the move fell through on deadline day after he failed a medical in Italy.
More recently, Football Insider revealed last month that both Tottenham and Aston Villa are keeping a close eye on Mateta's situation and could be temtped to make a move.
This comes after Villa made a formal bid for the 29-year-old in the summer which fell below Palace's valuation and was quickly dismissed, but they could now return.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are determined to strengthen up front given a lack of depth in the position and could make a move to capitalise on Mateta's situation.