Journalist Ben Jacobs revealed that French forward Jean-Philippe Mateta informed Crystal Palace's management last year of his desire to explore his future options, after both parties failed to reach an agreement on renewing his contract.

Mateta is 28 years old and is currently looking for a new step in his professional career, as part of his efforts to increase his chances of being included in the French national team squad for the upcoming World Cup.

According to the same source, the player prefers to move to the Italian league, with Juventus having entered into talks with his representatives. However, the deal remains uncertain due to doubts about whether the Italian club can meet Crystal Palace's financial demands.

At the same time, Mateta is attracting interest from several Premier League clubs, giving him multiple options during the transfer window.

On the Gulf front, the Saudi club Al-Shabab had previously made an initial inquiry about the player while also exploring the possibility of signing Callum Wilson. However, Mateta's response was clear, as he confirmed that he does not wish to move to the Saudi league at this stage of his professional career.