Crystal Palace is facing a major upheaval in the summer at the latest. Coach Oliver Glasner has announced that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season. The Eagles are already set to lose their captain in the coming days: Marc Guehi is on the verge of a move to Manchester City.
Crystal Palace is currently in the midst of a serious crisis. The Eagles, who were recently eliminated from the FA Cup in embarrassing fashion and have gone nine competitive games without a win, face another tough match at AFC Sunderland this weekend. At a press conference, head coach Oliver Glasner finally clarified his future, which has been the subject of speculation for weeks.
“I informed the club months ago that I was looking for a new challenge,” said Glasner, whose contract in London expires at the end of the season. According to him, the decision was already made during the international break in October. He said he had a “very long conversation” with chairman Steve Parish. “And I told him that I would not be signing a new contract. We agreed at the time that it was best to keep this to ourselves,” Glasner said.
It is not yet clear where he will go next. Since Ruben Amorim’s dismissal, he has been repeatedly linked with Manchester United, which will be managed by Michael Carrick until the end of the season.
Glasner won the first title in the club’s history with Palace
“I haven’t spoken to any other clubs,” Glasner added. “I told the players and promised them that I would do my best to break the points record. We will do everything we can to bring another trophy to Selhurst Park.” After being knocked out of the FA Cup and League Cup, the only chance of a title now lies in the Conference League, where Zrinjski Mostar awaits in the play-offs in February.
Glasner is leaving the Eagles after almost two and a half years—and as perhaps the most successful coach in the club’s history. Last season, Crystal Palace celebrated the first major title in the club’s history with a 1-0 final victory over Manchester City to win the FA Cup. At the start of the season, they also won the Community Shield.
Guehi set to join ManCity
Glasner not only provided information about his own future at the press conference, but also about that of his captain. Center back Marc Guehi, whose contract would also have expired at the end of the season, is on the verge of a transfer to Manchester City: “His move is in the final stages.” The England international defender will no longer be part of the squad for the game against Sunderland. The transfer fee is reportedly around €23 million plus bonuses. Crystal Palace has also secured a sell-on clause for Guehi, who is set to sign a contract in Manchester until 2031, according to reports. Bayern Munich is also said to have been interested in Guehi until recently.
