‘He was interested’ – Ruben Amorim wanted Man Utd to sign £35m star this month before sacking
Ruben Amorim was desperate for Manchester United to make a move for Jean-Philippe Mateta during the January transfer window, according to Crystal Palace legend Clinton Morrison.
While they were able to bring in Brennan Johnson from Tottenham, Palace have had a wretched winter window with Marc Guehi leaving to join Manchester City and manager Oliver Glasner confirming he will leave at the end of the season.
There was another bombshell this week with Mateta telling the club he wishes to leave Selhurst Park this month with Aston Villa and Juventus interested in signing the France international.
Palace have slapped a £35million price tag on their striker who still has 18 months left on his contract.
United were among the sides interested in Mateta last season with the 28-year-old scoring 17 times during a wonderful 2024-25 campaign for Palace that ended in FA Cup glory.
United were linked again at the start of the year with Benjamin Sesko enduring a slow start to life at the club following his summer move from RB Leipzig with just five goals to his name.
Former Palace star Morrison claims Amorim was keen on the Palace star despite United’s reluctance to spend big in January. Amorim’s dismissal on 6 January put paid to any further interest.
Get your football fix
Don't want to miss the week's biggest football stories? Metro's exclusive football newsletter, In The Mixer, is your essential guide.
From the latest transfer rumours and managerial moves to analysis of the biggest games and a lot more, our experts have you covered.
Sign up here, it's an open goal.
‘I do think Manchester United were interested in him, Ruben Amorim was big-time interested in him,’ Morrison told Metro via Free Bets.
‘But I just don’t think United could have done it there and then because they spent a lot of money in the summer bringing in Sesko, [Bryan] Mbeumo and [Matheus] Cunha.’
Morrison continued: ‘I think Mateta’s options will be better in the summer. I don’t think a lot of players get the clubs they want in January. I’m not saying clubs are panicking, but clubs will bring in strikers just to reinforce their squads from now until the end of the season.
Clinton Morrison: It's bleak for Palace, but we've been here before
During another chaotic week for Palace, Metro spoke to club legend Clinton Morrison to try and make sense of it all.
Mateta's timing 'all wrong'
The timing of Mateta trying to leave is all wrong. It is disappointing, I know JP and he is a good guy who just wants to do well and be successful. But he should have waited until the summer to get his move. I know what the chairman Steve Parish is like, unless it's the right price, he is not letting him go.
Oliver Glasner isn't leaving until the end of the season, we hope. Maybe he [Mateta] has got someone in his ear, maybe his agent, telling him "we need to strike why the iron is hot". But the iron could be even hotter in he summer. He's 29 now, he's hitting his peak years and he is thinking he can get the big move that he has wanted. He has his agent speaking to clubs I'm sure. But I've seen this play out a million times and the chairman is a clever businessman and he's not going to let a player go for less than the money he's worth.
'This is the way it goes at Palace'
Adam Wharton could be another to leave in the summer, hopefully we can keep him for another year but this has played out many times and Palace have always been alright. We've really missed Ismaila Sarr at AFCON and Daniel Munoz when he's been out injured. Their returns will really help with all the attacks coming down their side on the right. Sarr has been brilliant here, Munoz is the driving force. There will be top clubs looking at him too but he's found a home here.
Unless a billionaire comes into the club this is just the way it goes, it's the same with Glasner's situation. You do well and you move on and unfortunately that's the way it goes.
Palace's next manager?
It's difficult judging who is going to be available. We didn't know much about Oliver Glasner until he came to the club. He had success at Frankfurt but we didn't know Palace would have a chance of getting him and he is probably going to go down as one of Palace's best managers ever.
There's been talk about Gareth Southgate and he did such a good job with England getting them to major finals. But Palace are in a position a lot of clubs are in where they will wait until the summer when there are going to be lots of changes. There are loads of managers who will be on the move then - the chairman will be doing his work right now sounding out possibilities.
Clinton Morrison spoke to Metro via Freebets.com, the home of the best Cheltenham offers.
‘And if he goes somewhere like Aston Villa, we won’t have been their first choice because we have seen all the talk that they are desperate Tammy Abraham. But he believes in himself.’
The timing of Mateta’s push to leave south east London has left a bitter taste with Morrison who insists chairman Steve Parish will not be pressured into a quick sale.
‘The timing of Mateta trying to leave is all wrong,’ the former Ireland international said.
‘It is disappointing, I know JP and he is a good guy who just wants to do well and be successful. But he should have waited until the summer to get his move.
‘I know what the chairman Steve Parish is like, unless it’s the right price, he is not letting him go.’
What's Your Reaction?
Like
0
Dislike
0
Love
0
Funny
0
Angry
0
Sad
0
Wow
0
