Aston Villa had a £25million offer rejected for Jean-Philippe Mateta during their search for an Ollie Watkins replacement, with Unai Emery personally pushing for the Crystal Palace striker despite reservations over his suitability.
Villa’s interest in Mateta was already known during the closing stages of the transfer window.
ReadAstonVilla reported when Villa moved beyond their initial enquiry and submitted an offer for the France international, although Palace rejected the approach.
The full extent of that pursuit has now become clearer.
Jacob Tanswell’s inside account of Villa’s extraordinary summer for The Athletic reveals that the rejected proposal was worth £25m.
More intriguingly, multiple sources involved in the process did not view Mateta as the right profile for Villa.
Emery nevertheless pushed for the deal.
Unai Emery wanted Jean-Philippe Mateta
Villa were assessing several possibilities as Watkins’ future became increasingly uncertain.
Monaco striker Folarin Balogun was discussed, while Villa had also tracked Bayer Leverkusen youngster Christian Kofane and looked at Club Brugge forward Nicolo Tresoldi.
Mateta was the option Villa actually bid for.
The Evening Standard independently reported at the time that Crystal Palace rejected a formal Villa offer, with the proposal falling below their valuation.
Sky Sports had earlier confirmed that Villa made initial contact with Palace over the striker as they assessed potential attacking additions. Sky Sports: Villa make contact with Palace for Mateta
The Athletic’s new detail reveals a fascinating disagreement within Villa’s recruitment process.
Sources felt Mateta did not represent the ideal profile, yet Emery wanted the 29-year-old.
That matters because Villa’s recruitment structure remains heavily influenced by their manager.
The Athletic describes Emery as central to the club’s decision-making, with Roberto Olabe and Damian Vidagany tasked with helping facilitate his recruitment wishes.
Mateta appears to have been another example.
Nicolas Jackson remained Aston Villa priority
Villa ultimately went in another direction.
Nicolas Jackson had been Emery’s leading centre-forward target from the outset after the pair previously worked together at Villarreal.
The Athletic reports that those close to Jackson had expected the transfer to develop late in the window and knew a deal would require between £60m and £65m.
Once Watkins’ departure became inevitable, Villa accelerated.
They eventually agreed an initial £47.5m fee plus £17.5m in add-ons with Chelsea for Jackson, taking the overall package to £65m. Aston Villa agree £65m Nicolas Jackson deal after Watkins exit
Jackson has since completed the move and made his Villa debut against Arsenal.
The Mateta revelation nevertheless shows Villa were preparing several different solutions while Watkins’ situation remained unresolved.
ReadAstonVilla had already analysed the potential drawbacks of replacing Watkins directly with Mateta, whose physical and attacking profile would have required Villa to adapt how they played.
It now appears some inside Villa had similar reservations.
Aston Villa ultimately backed Emery with Jackson
Villa’s striker situation changed rapidly during the final week of August.
Watkins eventually completed a £51m transfer to Al-Hilal after six seasons at Villa Park.
Jackson arrived in his place.
That makes Mateta one of the more intriguing deals which did not happen during Villa’s extraordinary rebuild.
The £25m bid demonstrates Villa’s interest went considerably further than merely placing the striker on a shortlist.
The internal reaction is even more revealing.
Some at Villa questioned the fit. Emery pushed for Mateta anyway.
Ultimately, Palace’s rejection and Villa’s pursuit of Jackson ensured the manager never had to prove whether he was right.
