Glasner Unsurprised by Mateta's Failed Milan Medical, Backs Strand Larsen as Replacement

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has revealed that no one at the club was surprised when striker Jean-Philippe Mateta failed his medical examination with AC Milan, following the discovery of a knee issue that derailed a potential €30m (£26m) transfer on deadline day.

Mateta, who had requested a move away from Selhurst Park earlier in January citing a lack of ambition from the club, was poised to join the San Siro. However, the deal fell through, leading Palace to sign Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolves for £48m instead.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash with Brighton, Glasner reflected on the tumultuous January transfer window, which also saw defender Marc Guehi depart for Manchester City and a late bid for Everton's Dwight McNeil unsuccessful.

"I've learned to accept situations," Glasner said. "My wish, of course, and the wish of everyone at the club, would have been that JP got what he wanted, and then we also got Jorgen and Dwight McNeil into the building, and Marc Guehi's replacement into the building."

Regarding Mateta's future, the France international—who has netted 10 goals in all competitions this season, leading the team—faces a decision on his knee injury. Options include managing it conservatively until after the World Cup or opting for surgery, with the choice to be made next week.

"To be honest, it was not a big surprise to anyone that he could fail [the medical]. We knew that this could happen, and he knew it," Glasner explained. "There are two ways we can do this – we can manage the knee like we have until after the World Cup, which is JP's dream to play in. The other one is that he undergoes surgery. We don't know how long he would be out. We will decide next week."

If Mateta is sidelined long-term, Strand Larsen, who scored six goals for Wolves this season (one in the Premier League, two in the EFL Cup, and three in the FA Cup), will be expected to fill the void.

Glasner praised the new signing's attributes: "He has a similar profile to JP. We wanted a tall and physical number nine, and Jorgen has a great mentality and a great character. We trust in him. We're always looking at the profile and the character of the player, and Jorgen shows both – that's why we made a huge effort to get him into the building."