Tottenham Hotspur may face a transfer battle if they decide to push ahead with a move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta in January.Mateta had an afternoon to forget at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday as he was shown a red card for a reckless challenge on Micky van de Ven just 13 minutes into the encounter.However, he could soon be turning up for the opposite side at N17, with reports indicating that the Frenchman is on Spurs’ shortlist of striker targets in January.Mateta will enter the final six months of his contract in January, and his desire to leave Palace is well documented. However, Spurs have now discovered that they will not have a free run at the 29-year-old in the winter.Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty ImagesMan Utd and Nottingham Forest enter race for Tottenham target Jean-Philippe MatetaTEAMtalk have now confirmed that the Eagles centre-forward has no intention of signing a new deal at Selhurst Park, having been pushed to leave the club in the last two transfer windows.He is expected to be on the move in January, which is the last window that Palace can get a fee for Mateta, and the race for his signature is now heating up.Man Utd remain firmly interested in securing a proven Premier League centre-forward, with the Red Devils seeking reinforcements upfront following the injury to Benjamin Sesko.J. MatetaCrystal Palace – Premier League (2025 – 2026)Appearances32Minutes Played2222Average Rating6.73Shots56Shots on Target32Goals12Assists0Yellow Cards2Red Cards0Penalties Scored4Stats correct as of 3 November 2026.United have been described as ‘serious contenders’ for Mateta’s signature, but Nottingham Forest are ready to rival the Red Devils for the striker.Oliver Glasner’s men are also on the lookout for a new number nine, and they are currently assessing a move for the Palace centre-forward.The striker’s experience, physical presence and goalscoring record in the Premier League make him a profile that is attractive to the Tricky Trees.Mateta’s preferred destination revealedTEAMtalk say that the striker’s entourage have already started working hard on trying to find a suitable destination for their client in the upcoming window, with a January exit now seeming an ‘increasingly realistic possibility’.Mateta has pushed to join AC Milan in the past, and he continues to attract strong interest from across Europe as well as the Saudi Pro League.However, the France international is thought to be keen to remain in the Premier League, and this desire is expected to prove ‘significant’ in dictating his next move.2025/26 Premier League Tottenham strikers compared to MatetaStatisticSolankeRicharlisonMatetaClubTottenhamTottenhamCrystal PalaceAppearances153232Starts112025Minutes1,0011,9592,223Goals31112Assists050Goals per 900.270.510.49Yellow cards152Red cards000READ MORE: ‘I’ve noticed enough’ – Steven Gerrard makes bold Luca Williams-Barnett claim after Tottenham cameoThe post Jean-Philippe Mateta’s agents are ‘working hard’ on transfer as Tottenham circle appeared first on Spurs Web.