Today, the club doctor subjected the French striker to further tests, which were unsuccessful. The deal with Crystal Palace, which seemed to be a done deal, has fallen through. In 2019, he had already undergone meniscus surgery while playing for Mainz.

The additional tests were negative: further examinations carried out by Milan on Mateta’s knees today revealed critical issues that led the Rossoneri club to withdraw from the deal with Crystal Palace. It now remains to be seen whether the management will attempt another last-minute move—but by now it would be better to call it last-second—to strengthen the attack or whether it will stick with the current squad.

After the two clubs had reached an agreement (following that between the player and Milan), Mateta had already undergone the usual medical examination in London yesterday in order to speed up the process ahead of his arrival at Milanello. Milan’s intention was to make him available to Allegri immediately, without waiting for next season. However, once all the medical documentation had been received, the Rossoneri club decided to investigate further. This was particularly in relation to the condition of his right knee, whose meniscus had ruptured in 2019 when Mateta was playing in the Bundesliga for Mainz. In July of that year, the Frenchman underwent surgery in Munich and only returned to the pitch in mid-December.

expense and uncertainty—  The injury dates back six and a half years, but based on the results of yesterday’s examinations, the Diavolo wanted to get to the bottom of it. There was something that caused concern. Dr. Mazzoni, head of the Rossoneri medical staff, flew to Mateta today and around lunchtime subjected him to further tests, which he did not pass. Hence the negative outcome, for one simple reason: right now, the striker is playing regularly, and the Rossoneri’s doubts are all about the future. Especially in view of next season, in which—barring any sensational harakiri—Milan will return to playing in Europe, and therefore with many midweek commitments. An outlay of around €35 million in the face of this uncertainty was ultimately deemed inappropriate. In other words, the fear is that further surgery will be necessary in the future. Moreover, the British media had already floated this option last December, which was then withdrawn. In short, it is a question of inflammation, one of those problems that sometimes cannot be completely resolved with conservative therapy and that in any case require the player and medical staff to manage/monitor the situation with particular care and complexity. In a similar context, it is worth remembering that when it comes to health issues, the Rossoneri club has historically always been very cautious and meticulous. From Biabiany to Cissokho, via Pubill and the recent soap opera with Boniface, Milan has never been satisfied with the ‘normality’ of the medical process, going to great lengths every time it has been faced with a situation that was not entirely clear. Mateta has been seduced and abandoned by the Diavolo, and who knows how his life at Palace will continue now: the Frenchman had officially informed the club that he wanted to leave, complete with a snorting emoticon on social media when the deal seemed to be on hold in recent days. But even at Milanello, there is not much to celebrate: Jean-Philippe was the center forward identified to start an important cycle, and now a sharp change of direction will be needed.