Jean-Philippe Mateta 'not in the right place' to play against Nottingham Forest as striker seeks Crystal Palace exit

Reported by BBC Sport, Glasner said Mateta is 'not in the right place' to face Forest, who are one of the clubs interested in signing him this month, though the Austrian claimed his decision for the France international not to travel with the Eagles squad has 'nothing to do' with those transfer links. Mateta has featured in the last three games despite having informed Palace of his desire to leave the club this month, but that appears set to change this weekend.

Mateta has scored 10 goals in all competitions this term, though only one of those has come since the end of November as Palace’s form went downhill over the busy festive schedule. The 28-year-old last found the back of the net during the draw with Fulham on New Year's Day and informed Crysal Palace of his desire to leave the club on January 21. Interest has since arrived from the likes of Juventus and Forest, while AC Milan reportedly tabled a bid on Friday of a loan with an obligation to buy for £35million ($48m) in the summer.

Glasner said on Mateta in his press conference on Friday: "It is nothing to do right now with the transfers. He is not in the [right] place. To play makes no sense. 

“We have to protect the team and I have to protect him. That is why he will not travel with us to Nottingham.”

He added: "Again, there is so much noise, so much speculation, so many things going on," added Glasner. We need every single player at their best and JP [Mateta] isn't at his best right now with all the noise that happens.

"It can be football noise, but if someone has private issues where they can't focus on football, then it makes no sense to play. He can't help the team and perform at his top level. We decided it is better not to play him."

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Crystal Palace have already lost captain Marc Guehi in a £20m ($27.4m) move to Manchester City this month, while Glasner publicly announced that he will be departing the Eagles when his contract is up at the end of the season. Mateta’s announcement of his desire to leave completed a trio of heavy blows for the FA Cup holders in a turbulent January.

They have yet to bring in a replacement for Guehi but have signed Brennan Johnson in this window and have been linked with moves for Premier League forwards Jorgen Strand Larsen and Evann Guessand.

Glasner said on the club’s transfer work behind the scenes: "The club is working almost 24 hours a day right now. Marc [Guehi] left two weeks ago and nobody is in. You can imagine it is not so easy - every team wants to play a successful season, so it is not so easy that you can get the players at the end of January.

"I see the club working hard to get players in to replace Marc and, of course, we have to prepare if something happens with JP [Mateta].

"To be clear, it can be that Mateta stays, and he is a Palace player on 2 February, and it can be that Mateta has left the club and a new striker is in," said Glasner. “These are the two situations we are talking about and discussing right now."

Transfer windows are rarely quiet at Crystal Palace in recent seasons but their business may define the final days of the window. If Mateta is to depart before Monday's deadline, it will make a reported £50m ($68.5m) move for Strand Larsen all the more pressing, while England international Guehi has left a noticeable gap in the Eagles defence and a replacement for the 25-year-old will be another priority.