Wayne Rooney urges Arsenal to hijack Man Utd move for £40m star

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney (Picture: BBC Sport)

Wayne Rooney believes Arsenal should try to hijack Manchester United’s move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Mateta, 27, has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford as he continues to impress at Selhurst Park.

Signed from Mainz in 2022, Mateta endured two underwhelming seasons at Palace but has thrived over the past two campaigns with 34 goals in all competitions.

It was reported last week that Manchester United had opened talks to sign Mateta, who is believed to be open to joining the Red Devils despite their continued struggles under Ruben Amorim.

United and England legend Rooney is an admirer of Mateta and believes he is a player Arsenal should be looking at following their striker issues this season.

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Failing to sign a new centre forward and an untimely injury crisis at the Emirates Stadium has left Mikel Arteta desperately short up top, with Arsenal slipping 15 points behind runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Arteta is expected to bring in a new striker this summer and Rooney insists French Olympian Mateta would ‘help’ the Gunners.

Jean-Philippe Mateta is thriving at Crystal Palace (Picture: Getty)

‘Jean-Philippe Mateta is a big, strong lad who scores a lot of goals,’ Rooney told BBC Sport.

‘From watching Arsenal over the past few games in the Premier League, they have put a lot of balls into the box without having anyone to get on the end of them. I am sure he would help from that point of view.’

Despite his impressive form in south London, Mateta could be sold for just £40m this summer, according to reports.

Arsenal look desperately short up top (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal’s toothless attack was once again an issue for Arteta on Sunday as the Gunners had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Manchester United.

The visitors dominated possession in a one-sided first half but were unable to break Ruben Amorim’s side down, even going into the interval a goal behind following Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick in injury-time.

Arsenal did level the match through Declan Rice but were unable to prevent Liverpool from moving even further clear at the top of the Premier League.

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‘Very frustrating we haven’t won with the dominance and the chances we had in the first half,’ Arteta said.

‘Then we gave the ball away out of nothing. Gave a foul away. We had them in the second half, you could feel they were really fatigued.

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‘It was the threat in the final 25 metres to make something happen. They didn’t want to play. You come here and you want to win the game. Today, it is frustration.’

Pressed on his team’s struggles in the final third, Arteta added: ‘Sometimes that is what is missing. The execution has to be in to the right player and the right player to shoot.

‘How we conceded [chances] in certain moments was not acceptable. They have so much quality and they pick the right player and normally that would end in a goal.

‘We opened the gate to lose the game. there was no chance to lose the game and we opened it ourselves. I will defend my players all the time but in those moments we have to do better.’

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