June 2 2026

Selhurst Park

The newly crowned UEFA Conference League champions are looking to appoint a quick replacement for Oliver Glasner, writes Steve Desborough.

Palace are expected to hold discussions with Lens boss Pierre Sage early this week. The move comes as the club seeks to appoint a replacement for Oliver Glasner.

Sage, who has won 27 of his 40 games in charge of Lens, is developing a reputation as one of Europe's brightest coaches.

Those online casino sites UK football fans love will be full of people making predictions about who will take over from Glasner, but it now appears that Sage has become the clear favourite.

The Eagles are likely to be disappointed in their efforts to appoint their first-choice candidate, Andoni Iraola. Iraola is set to begin formal talks with Liverpool in the coming days to replace Arne Slot, who was sacked on Saturday. The Conference League winners had made a firm proposal to Iraola, but with him likely heading elsewhere, Palace is now exploring alternative options.

While the club, led by chairman Steve Parish, are hopeful of getting a new man in the door soon, they are also thought to be keen not to rush into a decision regarding their next head coach. The club are now examining some options, with Sage being one of them.

Palace's initial interest in the Lens boss was first reported in early May, but at the time, the club's hierarchy was focused on trying to appoint Iraola from Bournemouth.

The 47-year-old Sage took over as Lens manager in June last year and led the club to a second-place finish in Ligue 1. Furthermore, Lens beat Nice to win the Coupe de France for the first time in their 120-year history. The Lens boss, who is said to be open to joining, is expected to meet Palace officials in the coming days.

Palace are keeping an open mind in their managerial search and wants to take their time before deciding on their new first-choice target.

Other potential candidates include Coventry boss Frank Lampard, Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna, former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Dino Toppmoller, ex-Spurs boss Thomas Frank, and former Burnley and Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche.

Lampard, who has key admirers at Selhurst Park and is believed to be aware of Palace's interest, has enhanced his reputation at Coventry, leading the Sky Blues to the Championship title and Premier League promotion. However, Lampard currently has 12 months left on his deal, and releasing him from Coventry is likely to cost a significant sum.

Similarly, McKenna, who has led Ipswich back to the top-flight, is on big wages at Portman Road and is believed to have a release clause worth a minimum of £5m.

Frank, Toppmoller, and Dyche are all without a club and would be more straightforward to appoint.

As the search for a new head coach continues, Crystal Palace are demonstrating a careful and considered approach. Whether they will secure Lens boss Pierre Sage or another high-profile candidate remains to be seen. Regardless, the club's commitment to finding the right fit for their team is clear.