French footballer, Crystal Palace striker, international youth and Olympic standout
Everton have opened their season with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Thierno Barry scoring a late header to seal victory as Iliman Ndiaye set up the opener and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added a first-half strike.
Mateta has taken a dispute over the final year of his Crystal Palace contract to a Premier League tribunal and FIFA, with Palace insisting the extension is binding. The striker is seeking a move amid interest from Aston Villa as the transfer window nears its close. A knee issue previously scuppered a Milan move.
France has sealed top spot in Group I after a 4-1 win over Norway, with Ousmane Dembélé’s hat-trick and Mbappé’s goals highlighting a potent attack. Deschamps has returned to France for family reasons, and Norway rested most starters as they fight to reach the knockout stage.
Everton has confirmed a four-year deal for Johnson, with McNeil moving to Crystal Palace in a swap that mirrors a rocky June, when paperwork delays delayed a February near-miss. The move signals Palace’s continued rebuild under pressure to qualify for European competition; Johnson seeks top-flight form again after an underwhelming Palace spell.