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crystal Palace Striker Jean-Philippe Mateta has detailed what it was like to see his dream of a move to AC Milan dashed in the January transfer window.

L’Equipe has today had an interview with the 28-year-old. He discusses the failure of the transfer and its impact on him.

January transfer canceled

The Crystal Palace striker was due to join AC Milan at the end of the January transfer window as the Italians look for a new striker to strengthen their options.

The deal was progressing and talks were reaching Milan waiting for the green light To put Jean-Philippe Mateta on the flight and close the deal.

Then it all started collapsing. Doctors had warned AC Milan about the striker’s knees. Various medical tests confirmed that there were some problems and the deal was completely closed.

However the suffering did not end here. Mateta was then forced to return to Crystal Palace, where he spent 38 days out of action and missed eight games of a significant part of the season to recover.

He is now back to his best form, but admits that it took time for him to recover emotionally from the whole affair.

“I’m doing my best, 100%,” He said.

“When you come back, it’s not easy to get your cardio back. I worked hard to get it back, and it’s back. I’m the leader on the team. I’m used to competing; it’s good for me.

“To be honest, it was a real shock when they told me it was over… After that, I immediately thought about how to make a comeback.

“I consulted with several specialists, and when they assured me surgery was not necessary, I focused on the next step, until my return. I worked incredibly hard to show coach (Oliver Glasner) that the leader, “JP”, was there to earn his spot and win with the team.”

crystal palace competition

The strange thing about the whole affair was that Crystal Palace had spent €55.6m to sign Jorgen Strand Larsson from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

This has created competition which was not there before. But the French striker insists there are no problems in the group.

“I don’t think I’m the first person to fail a medical, and I won’t be the last,” He concluded.

“The players know me, and so does the coach. They know that when I’m in the dressing room, I’m there 100% to win. Meanwhile another striker has come in. I’m working with him. Rotating is not a bad thing; I don’t lack match fitness.”

Bayer Leverkusen are set to welcome Arsenal’s Kai Havertz back to the club in the future.

He spent 10 years at the Bundesliga team, joining their academy on a free transfer from Alemannia Aachen in 2010.

The Arsenal star forced his way into Bayer Leverkusen’s first team in 2016. He played 150 matches, mainly as an attacking midfielder, scoring 46 goals and providing 31 assists.

In his final season at Bayer Leverkusen, he scored 18 goals and nine assists. This convinced Chelsea to spend around €100m to secure his services in 2020.

Havertz spent three years at Stamford Bridge, managing 32 goals and 16 assists in 139 matches, and serving as a number 9 in 71 of those matches. His goal helped Chelsea win the Champions League during the 2020/21 season by defeating Manchester City in the final.

In 2023, the player joined Arsenal and had a slow start to his Emirates career. In September 2023, he was confident Showcasing his qualities for the Gunners. He said: “But I’ve often had a period and you often only see negative things. This isn’t the first club I’ve been at to start again.

“Of course, you want to be successful as quickly as possible, but I know there are phases. I try to take it easy.”

Mikel Arteta used him as an attacking midfielder and then as a striker.

The 26-year-old has 32 goals and 19 assists in 98 matches. His last goal came in Wednesday’s Champions League draw against his former club. An 89th-minute penalty saved the Gunners from defeat on their trip to Germany.

Bayer Leverkusen opens door for Arsenal player

Before the European kick-off, Havertz officially said goodbye to his former club. Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Caro, board member Werner Wenning and managing director Simon Rolfs praised Havertz.

The German club is not in favor of bringing former players back to the club. However, image Report they are prepared to make an exception for the Arsenal star.

After the Champions League match, Rolfes spoke about the possibility of bringing the Arsenal player back to the club. His €20m per year wages are a problem for them signing him in the near future.

However, this may not be the case in the coming years, as the relationship between the two is ‘special’ and supporters praised them earlier this week.

“With Kai, there’s always a risk that I’ll cheat. He knows that too. Whenever we talk, I already start digging,” Rolfes explained.

Havertz’s contract, price and agent information

The attacker has a contract until 2028, and transfer market He is worth €50 million.

When he joined Arsenal it was at €55m and rose to €75m [highest with the Gunners] In October 2024. Since then, there has been a decline, perhaps due to his injury problems.

Havertz suffered a hamstring injury in February 2025 that ruled him out for more than three months. In August he suffered a knee injury, which forced him to spend 134 days off the field.

Injuries caused him to miss 257 days and 51 matches for Arsenal from the start of 2025.

German agency Ruf represents him and he has good relations with several Bundesliga sides including Bayer Leverkusen.