PL star’s big move breaks down as Ronaldo goes on $1m a day strike – Deadline Day LIVE

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s failure to secure a move away from Crystal Palace was the story of Deadline Day, while Cristiano Ronaldo also made headlines.

Ronaldo has reportedly gone on strike at his Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, missing Monday’s league game against Al Riyadh due to being unhappy with the running of the club.

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Meanwhile, Liverpool sealed a deal for a highly sought after young defender, but the Frenchman is unable to bolster their defensive stocks right away.

Palace have secured another attacking weapon to challenge Mateta for a place in the team, while plenty of clubs have been busy recalling loan players to add more depth to fatiguing squads.

Scroll down for all the biggest stories from Deadline Day!

WHY MATETA MOVE BROKE DOWN

Mateta’s potential deadline-day move to AC Milan from Palace fell through for medical reasons, a source told AFP on Monday, confirming Italian media reports.

The French striker was left out of Palace’s squad for their Premier League draw with Nottingham Forest on Sunday, in anticipation of a transfer to Milan.

“AC Milan requested further tests on his knee, and they did not provide the necessary assurances to finalise the transfer,” the source told AFP, adding that Mateta was previously slated to sign for Milan at the end of the season.

“The decision had been made to bring his arrival forward by six months. The move has now been abandoned.” Mateta has scored 56 goals for Palace since joining the London club, initially on loan from Mainz in January 2021, and was a key part of the side which won last season’s FA Cup.

The wheels have come off for Palace in recent weeks, with manager Oliver Glasner announcing he will leave Selhurst Park at the end of the campaign and defender Marc Guehi departing for Manchester City.

The Eagles are on a winless run of 12 games in all competitions. The 28-year-old Mateta has netted 10 goals this season, but has scored only once in his last 12 appearances.

Milan had been hoping to bolster their attacking options to help boost their bid to chase down city rivals Inter Milan, whom they trail by eight points at the top of Serie A.

Italian media reported that Juventus could now attempt to sign Mateta before the window closes later Monday.

Sky Sports reported that Palace still plan to go ahead with their club-record £48m deal ($94m) to sign forward Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolves.

Initially believed to be coming in as Mateta’s replacement, the Norwegian is now going to create a selection squeeze.

“I think he is a good player, hence why there’s been so much interest in him,” Liverpool great Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports.

“People are not buying him based on this season’s performances. He’s playing for a really poor team. And he’s not been playing a lot of late he’s been on the substitutes bench, a lot.

“I think the club want to move him on and bring some money in.

“I watched him last season and he looked like not a real top striker but certainly a striker you wouldn’t associate with playing at the bottom.

“He can definitely play for a team on the middle of the league. The big thing that stands out from last season is the goals – non-penalty goals.

“To score 14 goals with no penalties – that takes some going.

“If Strand Larsen comes in, I think Mateta will be on the bench. I don’t think Crystal Palace are the type of team that play with two strikers.

“They like those two number 10s, a big part of their system. It would be interesting to see them two going at it.

“They would be a handful. Mateta for how much of a handful he is, his hold up is absolutely fantastic he does miss a lot of big chances.”

Palace also acquired winger Dwight McNeil from Everton for £20m ($39m).

Although, Carragher was left perplexed by the deal for the 26-year-old Englishman.

“Dwight McNeil to Crystal Palace surprises me. I think of their system,” he told Sky Sports.

“He’s a wide player, I don’t think he’s a wing-back. Where would he play in that system? He almost feels like a 4-4-2 man.

“He’s not a player who is a regular for Everton. If you can get £10-15m, that’s a deal, I think you do if you are Everton.”

RONALDO’S STRIKE EXPLAINED

Cristiano Ronaldo’s protest is not the only thing making a splash on Deadline Day in the Saudi Pro League.

“Spare a thought for Cristiano Ronaldo, who earns around £500,000 a day. But he’s so unhappy at the moment that he didn’t play for his club Al Nassr on Monday,” Sky Sports News’ chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol said.

“There wasn’t anything wrong with his fitness, he wasn’t rested, he wasn’t in the squad at all. The reason he didn’t play is he’s unhappy with the way Al Nassr have been run.

“Ronaldo feels that the PIF have been putting more money into Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad than they have into his club Al Nassr.

“Bear in mind, Ronaldo has been in Saudi Arabia and scoring goals for fun – but Al Nassr have not won the title in that time. He thought – in this window – that the club would dig deep, bring in reinforcements and strengthen their squad. He feels that hasn’t happened.

“And that’s why he’s effectively gone on strike.”

In other big news from the Saudi Arabia, former Brentford striker Ivan Toney turned down a move to Juventus and two Premier League clubs.

The 29-year-old has scored 56 goals in 72 games for Al Ahli and believes continuing to bang in goals is his best way to earn a call up for England for this year’s FIFA World Cup.

Striker Karim Benzema, who is at odds with his club Al-Ittihad, has entered into negotiations to join rivals Al-Hilal, the Saudi Arabian league leaders, a source told AFP on Monday.

“Negotiations are underway between the parties: Al-Hilal would like to sign Benzema for the remaining six months of his contract with Al-Ittihad, but the player’s agent is demanding a one-and-a-half-year contract,” the source told AFP.

The French striker, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, has scored eight goals in 14 league games this season with Al-Ittihad, but did not play in the last two matches.

He is unhappy with a contract extension offer, according to media reports. Both Al-Hilal, who play in Riyadh, and Al-Ittihad, in Jeddah, are owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Benzema reportedly received an offer from Michael Emenalo, sporting director of the Saudi league, which he considered “insulting” as it would amount to “playing for free”, apart from his image rights, according to his entourage.

The 38-year-old former France international moved to Saudi Arabia in 2023 after 14 seasons with Real Madrid. Last season he scored 21 goals as Al-Ittihad won the league.

This season Al-Ittihad trail leaders Al-Hilal by 12 points.

Al-Ittihad coach Sergio Conceicao declined to comment on Benzema’s absence. “You have to ask the club’s management and officials,” he said last week adding that “Karim is a top-level professional and an extraordinary player”.

RED’S NEW JACQUET

Liverpool have beaten off competition from Chelsea to sign Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet for a fee of up to £60 million ($118 million), according to British media reports on Monday.

However, the 20-year-old is not set to move to Anfield until the end of the season despite Liverpool’s need for defensive reinforcements.

Jacquet had been linked with a transfer to Chelsea earlier this month but was reportedly put off the move by the competition for places at centre-back in the Blues’ bloated squad.

Liverpool, by contrast, are desperately short on centre-back options. Captain Virgil van Dijk, 34, and Ibrahima Konate, who is out of contract at the end of the season, are the only two options currently available to Arne Slot with Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni sidelined by injury.

French under-21 international Jacquet has only made 31 appearances for Rennes since breaking into the first team of the Ligue 1 side last season.

Liverpool will reportedly pay an initial £55 million with a further £5 million contingent on add-ons.

“Jacquet is a similar profile to Konate. Can cover big spaces. Pace, Liverpool will play with a high line,” Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports.

“It looks like Liverpool are really future-proofing the centre-back area because Konate looks like he’s going to move on.

“Also, the age of Virgil van Dijk. Let’s not forget, next summer, he’ll be off the back of the World Cup.

“The young centre-back they bought in the summer, Leoni, will be coming back from an ACL.

“Liverpool will sign this lad in the summer but I think Liverpool will go and sign another big centre-back.

“Who I’d say will replace Konate, alongside Virgil van Dijk and this new guy, will be the backup to those players.”