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Controversial Crystal Palace shareholder John Textor wants to SELL top-scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta to his other team
Premier League star's brother is on Palace's radar
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CRYSTAL PALACE hitman Jean-Philippe Mateta is an ambitious target for Lyon — in a controversial move planned by John Textor.
Textor, the French club’s American owner, wants them to bid for the in-form star this summer.
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But that will not go down well at Palace, where Textor is also a major shareholder — even if he is planning to sell his stake.
Frenchman Mateta will be in demand in the next window and the Eagles will have a fight on their hands to keep him.
Yet Lyon may have to reach the Champions League to have a real chance of tempting Mateta, who has scored ten league goals so far this season.
The powerful striker, 27, will seek to join an elite club.
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Palace would look for at least £50million for Mateta and if he continues his form, there could be big Premier League interest.
Meanwhile, the Eagles have earmarked two rising centre-halves to replace Marc Guehi — Burnley’s Maxime Esteve and Middlesbrough’s Rav van den Berg.
They realise England defender Guehi will have to be sold in the summer amid interest from Newcastle, Tottenham and Chelsea.
Palace were priced out of their first choice, Strahinja Pavlovic, with AC Milan asking for £35m.
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Frenchman Esteve, 22, has been impressive for Burnley in a defence that has conceded just nine goals in 31 Championship games.
Dutch star Van den Berg, 20, has caught the eye at Boro and Palace will be watching him closely in the run-in this season.
His older brother Sepp, 23, plays for Brentford.
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