New St Etienne coach Pascal Dupraz has been in contact with Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Mateta is on-loan at Palace from Mainz and the Eagles would welcome terminating the deal next month.

Dupraz, reports Foot Mercato, has spoken to Mateta directly about joining him at ASSE, having worked with the striker at Lyon.

Mateta is keen, though ASSE's wage budget is proving a problem.

The French club will not pay more than €45,000-a-week to any player, which is said to be around 30 per cent of what Mateta is currently earning.