Man Utd transfer news: Club set to fight Juventus for Premier League striker

Manchester United are amid a period of major changes, but a challenge from Italian giants Juventus could spark the Red Devils to move for a long-term target.

Jean-Philippe Mateta has been linked with a move away from Crystal Palace for some time now, and Juventus are looking to move ahead of Man Utd in the transfer battle to bring him to Turin, according to Sky Sports.

That means Man Utd has to decide quickly if they want to spend big money for the 28-year-old forward, whose Expected Transfer Value (ETV) is €37.9m.

Just this summer, they spent €76.5m to bring striker Benjamin Sesko to Old Trafford, but his goalscoring return is not yet at the standard his club wants.

A true upgrade?

Despite his two-goal performance in a 2-2 draw with Burnley earlier this month, 22-year-old Sesko has struggled to find his feet at Old Trafford.

Half of his Premier League goal tally was scored in that Burnley game, and it broke a nine-match goalless streak that stretched back to 4 October.

Mateta, who is on pace for a third consecutive campaign with at least 10 Premier League goals, has been more consistent.

Both forwards have been hot-and-cold this season.

In addition to his recent nine-match goalless streak, Sesko did not score in his first six Man Utd games.

Mateta went without a goal in December despite appearing in seven matches. He still has more than twice as many goals (12) in all competitions as Sesko (5), but Palace are playing in European competition while Man Utd are not.

The Palace talisman has a few more reasons for his slight downturn in scoring.

His club lost its chief playmaker and top assister from last season, Eberechi Eze, over the summer, and plenty of rumours have swirled around Palace about the futures of manager Oliver Glasner and centre-back and captain Marc Guehi.

If Man Utd think the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, and the rest of the club’s playmakers can unlock Mateta’s best, it may be worth the money to beat Juventus for his signature.

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