Will Oliver Glasner and Crystal Palace be allowed to participate in the Europa League after all? According to consistent reports in the English media, co-owner John Textor has agreed to sell his shares to Woody Johnson, owner of the NFL team the New York Jets.
Textor owns 44.9 percent of the Premier League club through the multi-club group Eagle Football. According to reports, he is now selling his stake to Johnson, a former US ambassador to the United Kingdom, for £190 million (approximately €221 million). A corresponding agreement was reportedly signed in the US on Sunday evening. The 78-year-old Johnson, who has owned the NFL team New York Jets since 2000, had already attempted to acquire Chelsea FC in 2022, submitting an offer of £2 billion (€2.33 billion) at the time.
However, as with any change of ownership, the Premier League still has to approve the deal. According to reports, this could be completed within four weeks. Time is of the essence.
The agreement is expected to increase the London club’s chances of participating in the Europa League. A decision by UEFA is expected by the end of June.
Crystal Palace qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup. However, Textor is also the majority owner of Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyon, which has also qualified for the Europa League, with a stake of around 90 percent. According to UEFA regulations, two or more clubs controlled by the same institution are not allowed to compete in the same competition.
Textor’s sale of his shares, which according to reports came about under growing pressure from his Palace co-owners, could now pave the way for Palace to compete in Europe. The south London club won the FA Cup final 1-0 against Manchester City to claim the first trophy in its history.
