When Jean-Philippe Mateta pushed to leave Crystal Palace in January, it came amid Eddie Nketiah’s lengthy absence. The English striker has been sidelined with a thigh problem since December, and it’s proven problematic.
Mateta failed a medical ahead of a proposed £30m move to AC Milan. The French frontman remains at Selhurst Park, but his future beyond this season is still in doubt.
Palace swooped for Jorgen Strand Larsen on deadline day, paying a club-record £48m to sign him from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Norweigan has since led the line for Oliver Glasner but could soon have competition for the number nine starting berth.
Glasner’s Nketiah news
Mateta is reportedly looking to return to action before March’s international break. He is recovering from a knee problem but, fortunately, didn’t require surgery after missing out on a move to Milan.
That means the 28-year-old could be available for the Leeds United game on March 14th. He’s not the only forward who is likely to return in late March or early April.
Glasner gave an update on Nketiah ahead of his side’s encounter with Zrinjski Mostar in the second-leg of the Europa Conference League play-off. He told reporters (via BeanymanSports):
“I mentioned it [last week]: Eddie had a setback and it will take him now a few more weeks. We are now at the end of February. We expect him back in training… I think it will be the end of March, but because we don’t have games, it looks like it will be April [on the pitch].”
Nketiah’s last appearance for Palace was in a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on December 28th. The former Arsenal striker had made 19 appearances across competitions, posting four goals and one assist.
The 26-year-old will be eager to reclaim a starting berth in Glasner’s side once he’s back and fully fit. He must compete with Strand Larsen and Mateta for that role.
Nketiah needs to kick on
It’s now been over two years since Nketiah joined Palace from Arsenal in a £30m deal, and he’s still yet to truly live up to expectations. He has a decent tally of 11 goals and four assists in 56 games across competitions.
Nketiah does have a ton of ability, but he isn’t young anymore, so he is under pressure to start proving his worth. His versatility has been a plus, as he can play out wide if needed, and he seems eager to be a success at Selhurst Park.
| Eddie Nketiah (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances (starts): | 12 (2) |
| Goals: | 2 |
| Expected goals (xG): | 1.77 |
| Goals per game: | 0.2 |
| Big chances missed: | 1 |
| Big chances created: | 1 |
| Key passes: | 0.6 |
| Successful dribbles: | 0.4 (31%) |
| Ground duels won: | 1.7 (39%) |
| Stats via: Sofascore | Correct as of 26/02/2026 |
The Englishman’s best moment was his 90+7th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory over defending champions Liverpool. He tends to come up with important goals but has yet to cement a regular starting role in the Eagles’ team.
