Atletico Madrid 'desperate' to beat Arsenal to £43m talisman to frustrate Andrea Berta

Arsenal technical director Andrea Berta could be delivered a painful blow by his former club Atletico Madrid this summer with the La Liga outfit emerging as potential frontrunners to sign an in-demand Premier League striker.

Recruiting a source of goals is the number one priority for the Gunners come the end of the season, having finished the campaign swapping between makeshift marksmen in Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard as a result of injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. Several prolific names across Europe have been linked, including Sporting CP man Viktor Gyokeres and Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak.

Last week, another name said to be top of the Arsenal shopping list was Crystal Palace man Jean-Philippe Mateta. Football Insider claimed that the Gunners had sent scouts to watch the Frenchman, who has has been prolific since the turn of the year with nine goals in his last 11 Premier League outings.

Atletico Madrid prepare ‘scorching’ transfer window

However, in a report from SPORT, it appears that Atletico Madrid are desperate to bring Mateta to Spain. The outlet teases a ‘scorching’ summer of business for the club, who could lose Antoine Griezmann. Mateta is ‘top of the list’ for replacements with the club ‘seduced by his power, cold-blooded finishing and regularity in the Premier League’.

SPORT adds that a £43 million price tag has been put on the player, who is also a target for Arsenal, Manchester United, Juventus and Bayern Munich. Atletico head coach Diego Simeone is said to want transfer progress on a Mateta transfer straight away and Atletico are tipped to ‘move onto the offensive quickly’.

Mateta made headlines over the weekend as the subject of criticism from Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner. The striker started the 5-2 defeat to Manchester City but was subbed at half time with defensive midfielder Will Hughes brought on in his place.

Glasner was asked why he took Mateta off after the match with fears over a potential injury. In a brutal response, Glasner said: “It was a tactical decision.

“Now, I have to say it was the wrong decision. Not taking him off, but changing the formation to a 3-5-2. We wanted to control the midfield more, but it didn’t work. Subbing him wasn’t a mistake, he can do better than he did in the first half. He lost too many duels and balls. That’s why we decided to change something. The mistake I made was to change the system, not subbing JP.”

Paul Merson on Jean-Philippe Mateta transfer

Former Arsenal star and Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson had underlined how good a signing Mateta would be for a top club, in particular Manchester United. Speaking on Deadline Day, he said: “Man United should get Mateta, that’s what they need.

“He’s a strong lad up front, playing at the top of his game, he leads the line, scoring goals now. He runs and works his socks off harder than anyone you know. But they won’t because he plays for Palace. And everyone would go: “what are you buying him for?”

“But he’s 100 times better than anyone Man Utd have in the front line. Not Amad, he’s a young kid – but he’s much better than Hojlund and Zirkzee at the moment. And Man Utd are playing Mainoo up front. If you’re one of those two centre forwards, I would say: I might as well go out on loan and play for Exeter this month.”

In other news, Pep Guardiola makes views clear on 'excellent' Crystal Palace star who has been linked with exit.