AC Milan Swoop Leaves Forest Empty-Handed in Mateta Chase

Nottingham Forest's hopes of landing Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta have taken a significant knock, with Serie A giants AC Milan reportedly swooping to steal the deal.

The 28-year-old has been one of January's more intriguing pieces of business, making his desire to quit Selhurst Park abundantly clear. With eight Premier League goals already bagged this season and just 18 months remaining on his contract, Mateta has made no secret of his ambition to play Champions League football—a move that would take him away from Palace.

For the South London club, it represents another January headache to compound their misery. Marc Guehi has already departed to Manchester City, whilst manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed he will be seeking pastures new once his deal expires in the summer.

The striker had attracted considerable interest throughout the window. Aston Villa and Juventus both explored options earlier in the month, only for their enthusiasm to cool considerably. Villa opted for a more economical route by re-signing Tammy Abraham, whilst Juve's loan-with-option proposal fell flat.

Forest appeared to have positioned themselves favourably for Mateta's signature, particularly once Palace began pursuing alternatives like Jorgen Strand Larsen and Evann Guessand. The Midlands outfit had seemingly edged ahead of Manchester United and Tottenham in the pecking order.

Yet Milan have now thrown a spanner in the works. Gianluca Di Marzio reported that the Rossoneri have secured a verbal agreement in principle with Palace, struck on Thursday evening. Di Marzio noted that completion could happen immediately or potentially be shelved until the summer window, with Christopher Nkunku's potential departure from Milan apparently linked to the move.

The plot thickens, however. Journalist Nicolo Schira revealed that Mateta remains unconvinced about a Forest switch, despite their substantial financial offer. Talks between the striker and Sean Dyche's side have now ground to a halt, with Mateta apparently keeping his options open for other suitors.

It's a frustrating turn of events for Forest, who sit 17th in the Premier League table—just five points above the trapdoor. This window has yielded only one addition so far: Lorenzo Lucca from Napoli on an initial loan arrangement through to summer.