Jean-Philippe Mateta

Jean-Philippe Mateta is the kind of striker who was written off repeatedly before finding his level at Crystal Palace, where he has become one of the Premier League's most reliable finishers. Strong, direct, and excellent in the air, he suits Oliver Glasner's counter-attacking system perfectly — holding the ball up, running channels, and converting chances with composure. His route to the French national team has been unconventional given his career path through Le Havre, Mainz, and a slow start at Palace, but his Premier League goal record has made him impossible to ignore. He offers Deschamps a very different centre-forward profile to Kylian Mbappé.