Aston Villa make shock transfer bid for Jean-Philippe Mateta amid uncertainty over Ollie Watkins’ future

ASTON VILLA have made an offer to land Crystal Palace ace Jean-Philippe Mateta. Villa suffered a humiliating 4-0 loss to Brighton on the opening day of their Premier League season, and were without talisman Ollie Watkins as he nears a move away to the Saudi Pro League. Aston Villa have made an offer to buy Jean-Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace Credit: Getty Ollie Watkins’ future is uncertain after a flurry of bids from Saudi club Al Hilal Credit: Getty That has prompted transfer chiefs at Villa Park to put in a bid to bolster their attacking options, with Emiliano Buendia forced to start up front against the Seagulls, while 17-year-old Brian Madjo – who starred against Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup – and Tammy Abraham were also out through injury. However, the bid was below the price the South London club are demanding to sell the striker. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Mateta, 29, is not the only forward Villa have looked at in recent weeks. AC Milan outcast Rafael Leao and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson are both being looked at by Villa. Mateta started Palace’s opening day defeat against Everton amid the backdrop of him taking Palace to a Premier League independent tribunal to argue the final year of his contract with the club is invalid. The Frenchman and his representatives argue the last year of his deal, due to expire next summer, is not legally binding because it was an extension option activated by the club on his original four-and-a-half-year contract. But while the outcome was never made public, Mateta continuing to play for the Selhurst Park club indicates the ruling did not go his way. He scored 12 goals in the Prem last season and 14 the year before that, but was set to leave Villa to join Milan in January before a knee injury scuppered the £26million deal. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK In Villa’s case, they have been rocked by a long list of summer outgoings including Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne, Ezri Konsa and Morgan Rogers and now look set to add England forward Watkins to that list. They have already rejected FOUR bids for Watkins from Saudi club Al-Hilal, the most recent of which was worth £45m. Watkins scored 16 goals in the league last season, 15 of which came from December onwards after a slow start for the 30-year-old last season. After his pre-Brighton rebellion that had seen him miss training with the squad, Watkins is said to have returned to training on Monday to apologise to his team-mates. Comment now