By SIMON JONES

Published: 18:06, 3 February 2026 | Updated: 18:06, 3 February 2026

Jean-Phillipe Mateta and Crystal Palace are weighing up whether he should undergo surgery in a bid to make the World Cup with France.

A disappointed Mateta has returned to the fold with his Palace teammates after seeing a £30million deadline day move to AC Milan fall through on medical grounds.

Mateta has struggled for fitness at times this season and has been managing knee pain.

Prior to Christmas, Palace coach Oliver Glasner was open about the fact that the club were trying to nurse Mateta through games and were hopeful they could do so without the 28-year-old requiring surgery.

Palace were up front with Milan about the condition of his knees, sending the Italians full medical reports towards the end of last week in preparation for a transfer being concluded.

However, after initial examinations, Milan's reservations were raised over Mateta's right knee. The striker had ruptured the meniscus in 2019 when playing for Mainz and he underwent surgery that kept him out for six months.

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