September 8 2026

Selhurst Park

Pierre Sage has received three major boosts as Crystal Palace approach the September international break, writes Ben Leyland.

The disruption Crystal Palace fans experienced over the summer had largely been expected, with Oliver Glasner’s departure already confirmed before he ended his successful spell at the club by lifting the UEFA Conference League.

It was the third trophy of a remarkable period for Palace, following the FA Cup in May 2025 and the Community Shield three months later, and probably represented the perfect time for Glasner and the club to part ways.

The summer transfer window was a different story. The World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico may initially have distracted some supporters from events closer to home, but Palace subsequently endured another saga involving Jean-Philippe Mateta and his desire to leave.

Mateta challenged the validity of the additional year on his contract, but his claim was rejected by a Premier League tribunal, while FIFA ruled that the matter fell outside its jurisdiction.

Ultimately, the French striker stayed, as did Ismaila Sarr, who attracted significant interest as deadline day approached. Given his talents, most betting sites UK would have anticipated clubs showing an interest.

Their retention represents two significant boosts for new manager Pierre Sage, while Palace’s dramatic victory at Fulham provided a welcome third.

Danny Imray, Maxence Lacroix, Brennan Johnson and Daniel Munoz were among those who moved on, but the arrivals of Oscar Mingueza, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Dwight McNeil, Anan Khalaili, Zavier Gozo, Quinten Timber and Ben Chilwell softened the blow.

Loan deals for Axel Disasi, Evann Guessand, Dario Osorio and Honest Ahanor also added greater depth to the squad, particularly in defence.

Sage has nevertheless made a predictably slow start to life as Palace manager. With several of the new players not yet through the Selhurst Park doors when the season began, defeats by Everton and Manchester City left the Eagles without a point from their opening two Premier League matches.

There was far more encouragement to take from last weekend’s hard-fought 3–2 victory at Fulham, however, as Palace twice came from behind before Chilwell struck the winner.

The new 47-year-old manager will be encouraged by signs that the players are beginning to understand how he wants them to play and the tactical adjustments he is trying to introduce. Those glimpses should become more frequent as the coming weeks and months pass.

Palace host Lech Poznan in the Europa League before travelling to Elland Road to face Leeds United on Sunday, 20 September.

That match is followed by the merged September and October international window, which runs from 21 September until 6 October. Palace then return to Premier League action at home to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, 11 October.

The break could be particularly valuable for Sage and the players who remain at the club, allowing him to conduct sustained work on the training pitches after an unsettled pre-season and transfer window.

From October onwards, supporters will hope to see greater consistency and understanding, with relationships developing as the players become more accustomed to Sage’s methods.

Three points from nine leave Palace 13th at this very early stage of the season. With the additional demands of the Europa League following last season’s Conference League success, an improvement in performances and results would help build confidence about what Palace can achieve while once again juggling domestic and European football.