---
title: "Crystal Palace: Dean Jones shares striker twist"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/crystal-palace-dean-jones-shares-striker-twist/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Crystal Palace News"
published: "2022-03-23T17:40:58Z"
modified: "2022-03-23T17:40:58Z"
---

# Crystal Palace: Dean Jones shares striker twist

**Journalist Dean Jones believes Crystal Palace want Jean-Philippe Mateta to become their first-choice striker, despite links to RB Leipzig’s Andre Silva, [GiveMeSport](https://www.givemesport.com/87987060-crystal-palace-vieira-could-make-64-star-his-main-man-instead-of-signing-andre-silva) report.**

### The Lowdown: Andre Silva links

Palace backer John Textor is [reportedly](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/17856443/crystal-palace-man-utd-newcastle-west-ham-kamara-transfer/) ready to splash the cash this summer in order to build on a good first campaign under Patrick Vieira.

\[freshpress-poll id=”379769″\]

The Eagles have recently been linked with a move for Silva, who has been labelled as [‘phenomenal’](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-andre-silva-rb-leipzig-portugal-striker-6738) by international teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.

Palace, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid are all thought to be [interested](https://www.calciomercato.com/news/lipsia-andre-silva-non-si-ferma-piu-e-accende-il-mercato-45972) in the 26-year-old who has scored 15 times for Leipzig this season.

### The Latest: Jones not convinced by Silva links

Talking to [GiveMeSport](https://www.givemesport.com/87987060-crystal-palace-vieira-could-make-64-star-his-main-man-instead-of-signing-andre-silva), Jones had this to say, believing it is actually Mateta who will become the main man long-term despite the links to a big money signing from Textor…

> “Palace are being linked with new strikers like Andre Silva, but from what I’m told, the vision is that Mateta becomes the main man in that attack rather than signing a new big-name.
>
> “They still have hope and belief that he can be the answer Vieira is looking for as that forward.”

\[freshpress-quiz id=”389047″\]

### The Verdict: Makes sense

Palace only made Mateta’s loan move a [permanent](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/announcement/jean-philippe-mateta-signs-permanent-deal-with-crystal-palace/2022-01-31/) one in the January window and the 24-year-old has impressed since, scoring [four](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jean-philippe-mateta/leistungsdaten/spieler/420002) of his [five](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jean-philippe-mateta/leistungsdaten/spieler/420002) goals this season in 2022.

He has become a [regular](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jean-philippe-mateta/leistungsdaten/spieler/420002) under Vieira in recent weeks, so it makes sense to place trust in Mateta ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

[Reports](https://www.dhnet.be/sports/football/diablesrouges/benteke-se-retrouve-dans-une-impasse-621ceb7e9978e25398cf71f7) have suggested that Christian Benteke could leave Selhurst Park this summer, and if he does, then perhaps a cut-price replacement could be a shrewd move to bolster the club’s attacking ranks, but most of the Palace’s summer spending may well go on midfield reinforcements, with loanee Conor Gallagher set to return to Chelsea.

***In other news: [Palace twist now emerges as Textor looks to bring £10.8m-rated Brazilian to Selhurst Park.](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/crystal-palace-news/pedro-transfer-latest-palace-textor-flamengo/)***