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Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace could soon renew hostilities with the former actively trying to sign the Eagles' wantaway striker, Jean-Philippe Mateta, in a £35million deal before the transfer deadline.

Mateta, 28, has made it clear he wishes to depart in the transfer window in what is the latest blow to Crystal Palace, who have already lost Marc Guehi this month and discovered that their head coach, Oliver Glasner, will quit at the end of the season. The France international is unhappy at Selhurst Park and has already been the subject of interest - and a failed transfer bid - from AC Milan.

There is also Premier League interest in Mateta, who was linked to Aston Villa last week. But with Villa now close to re-signing Tammy Abraham, Forest have emerged as unlikely suitors.

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The Telegraph report that they are keen on bringing Mateta in to boost their survival hopes after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign to date. But whether Palace would sanction such a deal, which would be around the £35m mark, with Forest remains to be seen.

Relations between Forest and Palace became strained after the former effectively took the FA Cup winners' place in the Europa League due to a breach of multi-club ownership rules. That development followed Forest expressing concerns to Uefa over John Textor, who held a 43 per cent stake in the club but was also the majority owner of Lyon at the time.

Away from that feud, the logistics of the Premier League table could also make a sale unlikely. Forest are 17th in the standings, five points and one place above West Ham in the relegation zone, but Palace are just three points better off up in 15th place.

From the players' point of view, Mateta is understood to favour a move to a club who can offer him Champions League football. But Forest are said to be willing to make a lucrative offer to try and convince him to join.

Forest are in the market for attacking reinforcements with Chris Wood sidelined after undergoing knee surgery.

It remains to be seen if Mateta, who despite enduring a rough patch of form recently is still Palace's top scorer with nine goals this term, will face Forest at The City Ground this weekend.

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