Jean-Philippe Mateta and his representatives are arguing that the final year of his Crystal Palace deal, triggered in 2024 thanks to a club option within the deal, is invalid.
The matter has been heard by an independent tribunal under Premier League rules, with the contract still viewed as binding, prompting the Frenchman to take his case to Fifa, who have subsequently said that it is not within their jurisdiction to overrule the agreement.
Now that the nuts and bolts of the story have been fully established, can we address how utterly bonkers it is?
A man who started Pierre Sage’s managerial debut in Palace’s opening defeat at Everton on Saturday is seemingly locked in a legal battle with the club.
To say that our supporters’ relationship with Mateta is complicated would be the definition of an understatement.
