Late-Window gamble: Manchester United eye Europe’s top striker

Manchester United are keen to plug a striking void after completing a midfield overhaul, and have been offered Crystal Palace’s Jean‑Philippe Mateta – a 29‑year‑old who Opta rates as one of Europe’s best strikers – before the late‑window deadline on September 1 in the Premier League.

Chris Radburn via Reuters reported the story, written by James Beavis PM GMT+1. James Beavis is a Senior Editor at GIVEMESPORT, graduated with a Sports Journalism degree from Southampton Solent University in 2012, and previously worked for Football FanCast, Shoot Magazine and GMS.

Mateta: Europe’s top striker

Mateta’s record at the South London outfit shows a sharp rise: after a slow start of 16 goals in 92 outings, he has netted 46 times in 111 games. An Opta analyst noted that only Haaland, Salah and Isak had more goals than his 32 since Oliver Glasner took charge, and his xG per 90 of 1.01 placed him alone with Haaland above the 1.0 mark in Europe’s top five leagues.

United’s positional priorities

Having added Carlos Baleba to rebuild the midfield, United’s next focus is the left‑back slot, with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall and Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde heavily linked but both likely to stay at their clubs. The centre‑forward role also needs reinforcement; Michael Carrick can choose between Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Joshua Zirkzee, though Zirkzee is linked with a Serie A move.

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Financial terms and feasibility

TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook says United have been offered Mateta after a rejected Aston Villa bid of £20‑25m, far below Palace’s asking price. United could match a £30‑35m fee, similar to the Tielemans deal, and potentially fund it by selling Zirkzee.

The Frenchman fits the Red Devils’ brief: tall, physical, not a guaranteed starter, with one year left on his contract and two goals in seven caps for France. He would provide a short‑term boost without stunting Sesko’s development.

United already possess a perfect Luke Shaw replacement, a huge upgrade, meaning the Mateta signing would mainly add depth for the extra Champions League fixtures.

Fans can follow Us on GiveMeSport, try the Give feature and follow the latest updates; the club aims to finalise the deal before the window closes.