It’s been a turbulent few weeks at Crystal Palace, to say the least.
Not only has Oliver Glasner announced that he will leave the club this summer, and their former captain, Marc Guehi, has left to join Manchester City, but their headline striker, Jean-Philippe Mateta, has also made his desire to depart clear.
With Premier League games coming thick and fast, there have been more than a few headaches at Selhurst Park.
Is Jean-Philippe Mateta available for selection against Burnley?
Mateta last turned out for the Eagles in their 3-1 loss against Chelsea at the end of January, missing subsequent games against Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion.
He has a move to AC Milan in the pipeline, which was then called off due to an issue with his right knee. But, will he be available to face Burnley in their 7.30pm kick-off on Wednesday?
According to Glasner, the answer is no.
Speaking to the press last week, the Austrian coach said: “He won’t play on Sunday at Brighton, and he won’t play against Burnley.
“We now want a final decision how to manage his knee, what we have to do, what we should do.”
Mateta is thought to be weighing up whether to have surgery on the knee, which would see him sidelined for several months and also mean he’d definitely miss the World Cup with France.
Although making clear the striker isn’t available for the Burnley game, Glasner has made clear that he will be reintegrated into the Palace squad when injury allows, despite the transfer drama.
🚨 Glasner: “Mateta had a knee issue since November. He wanted to keep playing, so we managed it”.“Mateta told us he would like to leave. AC Milan assessed him and decided not to sign Jean Philippe”.“We will have further assessments to really find the best solution”. pic.twitter.com/sIjAIrS7ZLFebruary 6, 2026
“As everybody can imagine, it’s a tricky situation for everyone,” Glasner continued.
“For him, for everyone at the club – but at the end, if the decision will be taken that we manage his knee until the end of the season, he will be back in the squad.
“If he doesn’t undergo surgery and the knee is okay, he will start training with us and he will get integrated, and then he has to fight for his position like everyone else.
“But this is what he knows, and he’s fine with it.”
