February 3rd 2025.
Paul Merson, a former Arsenal and England winger, has expressed his belief that Manchester United should consider making a surprising move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. Mateta has been in exceptional form for the Eagles, scoring six goals in his last five games and helping Palace move up the table away from the threat of relegation. The French striker, who joined Selhurst Park in the summer of 2022, was instrumental in Palace's 2-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, scoring a brace.
Merson has been thoroughly impressed by Mateta's development at Crystal Palace and believes he is exactly what United manager Ruben Amorim needs in his team. In the recent defeat to Palace, Amorim chose to start England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo up front, leaving big-money signings Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee on the bench. While United have been linked with a new striker in the January transfer window, they seem to be holding off until the summer to make any moves.
"Man United should get Mateta, that's what they need," Merson stated on transfer deadline day in an interview with Sky Sports. "He's a strong lad up front, playing at the top of his game, he leads the line and is scoring goals. He runs and works harder than anyone you know. But they won't because he plays for Palace and everyone would question the decision."
Merson went on to compare Mateta's abilities to those of United's current strikers, stating that he is "100 times better" than anyone else in their front line. While he acknowledges that Amad is a promising young talent, he believes Mateta is far superior to Hojlund and Zirkzee at the moment. He also expressed sympathy for Hojlund, who was signed for over £70m from Atalanta but has only managed to score two goals in the Premier League this season.
"I like Hojlund, he's a young lad," Merson said. "He will improve, but the club is too big for him at the moment. He makes good runs and gets into positions, but he snatches at the moment. But you're only as good as the people providing for you, and the players behind him aren't good enough."
Merson also pointed out the importance of having quality players around a striker, using Erling Haaland as an example. He stated that while Haaland is a brilliant scorer, he wouldn't be able to score as many goals if he played for a smaller team with less talented players providing for him. Merson believes that Manchester United should invest in Mateta and surround him with quality players to help bring out the best in him.
Former Premier League manager Tim Sherwood also weighed in on United's transfer decisions, stating that they missed out on two key signings in the past. "They missed a trick," Sherwood said. "A couple of years ago, they had the opportunity to sign Harry Kane and Declan Rice. Those two signings would have been cheaper than the 12 to 15 players they bought. They would have been perfect on the pitch and in the dressing room, bringing a winning mentality and making others around them better."
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