In front of Arsenal and Man City in 2025
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At the end of October, the mood in Südlondon was still at the low point: Crystal Palace had not been able to win a victory in the eighth game of the season with a 0-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest-a novelty in the club’s premier League history. In the meantime, the sheet has turned completely. Oliver Glasner is on the way to leading the Eagles for the best season of all time in the English Oberhaus and should be rewarded promptly with an extension of the contract. How did it come about?
When Oliver Glasner was introduced as the new coach of Crystal Palace on February 20, 2024, there was critical voices on the island-despite the fact that he had a European League title: quite a few questioned the measure to get a trainer without a premier League experience in the middle of the season. In summer at the latest, there was hardly anything to be heard from these voices.
Glasner took 15th place on the first place on the first relegation zone and led them to 10th place with 24 points from 13 games. He set the previous record position from the 2014/15 season after his team won six of the last seven games. During this period, Palace broke with a 1-0 victory, among other things, the Liverpool league home series, which has lasted for a year and a half, and celebrated a 4-0 and 5-0 victory against Man United and Aston Villa.
As a result, the Glasner series triggered an euphoric wave under Crystal Palace fans. The followers were safer than ever that their club would complete for the first time in the coming season, but this conviction should also fizzle out again. The best seasonal finish in the club’s history was followed by the worst start to the season in the club’s history. From the first eight games in 2024/25, the team did not win a single win – despite the supposedly strikable opponent such as Brentford, Everton or Leicester. In seasons 92/93, 94/95 and 04/05, similar weak seasonal starts had led to relegation.
Crystal Palace: Well -known departures, late new commitments
The weak start of the season was preceded by a chaotic summer that Coach Glasner had certainly imagined differently. Within the transfer period, the Premier League club with Michael Olise (23) and Joachim Andersen (28) lost two of the most important players in the team. Olise previously contributed 16 scorer points in 19 games and was an integral part of the offensive triangle with Mateta and Eze. Andersen, as a central central defender, was the anchor in the 3-4-2-1 system from Glasner and speakers within the team. In addition, Jordan Ayew (33) and Sam Johnstone (31) went two experienced players who had enjoyed a high standing. (On the statistics: All entrances and exits at Crystal Palace 2024/25)
The Palace bosses were only able to react late to competitor Fulham, especially to the unplanned departure from Andersen. With Maxence Lacroix (24) and Trevoh Chalobah (25), two new central defenders only came on the Deadline Day when the preparation and two league games were played. The same was for Matt Turner (30) and Eddie Nketiah (25)-the latter was brought for an impressive EUR 29.7 million in order to create relief after the olise. Previously, Ismaïla Sarr (26) and Daichi Kamada (27) came as new offensive options, plus Chadi Riad (21) for the defensive.
The hustle and bustle and chaos were primarily due to the fact that those responsible had gone to the transfer window with a different expectation. “Perhaps we thought at the beginning that it would be more likely that Marc Guéhi would go and we keep Joachim Andersen,” sports director Steve Parish later admitted. With Eberechi Eze (26, 55 million euros in the market value), you would have prepared for a possible departure internally, but the offers were ultimately failed to materialize and it had to be planned differently.
Difficult preparation and injuries cause problems
As Glasner emphasized several times, the biggest problem at the beginning was that he had to approach the preparation with a very thinned squad. In addition to the late entrances, the big tournaments in summer were the reason for the fact. With Guéhi and Eze as well as Adam Wharton (21) and Dean Henderson (28), four players with England were traveling until the end of the European Championship. There were two final participants at Copa América with the Colombians Daniel Muñoz (28) and Jefferson Lerma (30), and Chris Richards (24) also took part in the tournament with the USA. As an Olympic finalist with France, Jean-Philippe Mateta (27) was not able to take part in the preparation of his club.
To make matters worse, there were also a number of injuries. Newcomer Riad suffered a serious knee injury after two games, and central defender Chalobah initially failed after his arrival with an abdominal muscle strain. After nine-month downtime, six-man Cheick Doucouré (25) still needed time with an Achilles tendon tear to get 100 percent and also a center partner Wharton was out of the question due to a groin injury. The problems culminated in the fact that Guéhi was used in part with the U23 player Justin Devenny (21) at the headquarters.
It became clear in the first games of the season: Olise and Andersen’s footsteps are obviously too big. Ismaïla Sarr, who came from Marseille for 15 million, had big problems as a classic winger to get used to the Olise role as the right half-tie. Eddie Nketiah also didn’t seem to lie. By mid -November, both new additions had no single scorer point. At the same time, Maxence Lacroix worked with the Andersen role as a central central defender in the chain of three and Daichi Kamada, both as an eight and tens-even though Glasner already knew her well from his time in Wolfsburg and Frankfurt.
The low point was the 0-1 bankruptcy at Nottingham Forest on October 21, through which the Eagles continued to slip. The first rumors of discharge around Glasner, David Moyes, Gareth Southgate and Graham Potter were considered possible successors in the English media. As “The Athletic” reported at the time, disagreement on the executive floor. According to reports, investor John Textor, who holds 45 percent at the club, took a critical look at the stubbornness on the 3-4-2-1 system. Sports director Steve Parish, who also has shares in the club, is said to have further trust Glasner. Some media reported from an ultimatum to the international break in mid -November.
Form reversal in November despite the demanding program
A turning point was the 1-0 win on October 27 against Tottenham. In the following weeks, the Eagles Aston Villa threw the EFL Cup and then won impressive draws in the league against the Emery team and Newcastle and MAN City. In November and December, the Glasner team lost only two out of a total of ten Premier League games.
In order to be able to continue the trend in the second half, the Palace bosses decided in winter: a flexible offensive man for the ten positions and a left-back were sought as relief for Tyrick Mitchell (25). For the first construction site, the Premier League club followed a well-known pattern and with Romain Esse (19) from FC Millwall again signed a top talent from the championship. “We want to sell to the top clubs that have great ambitions,” co-owner Steve Parish had explained a few months earlier as part of the olise sale. The Südlondoner Ben Chilwell (28) won Chelsea, South Londoner Ben Chilwell (28).
But as in summer, the plans of those responsible were also thwarted in the winter transfer period. As a result of the injuries to Wesley Fofana (24) and Benoît Badiashile (23), Chelsea asked for a return from rental player Trevoh Chalobah, who had left a very good impression at Crystal Palace in the weeks before. Due to the good relationships with the London opponents, the return was approved. Glasner wanted to give Chadi Riad the chance after a long downtime, but then there was a bad news for the Moroccan: cruciate ligament tear. The situation was similar, Doucouré, who has to undergo a knee surgery that puts him out of action for the rest of the season.
Second of the annual table in the Premier League
However, Oliver Glasner and his team did not stop the renewed setbacks from continuing the positive trend from the end of the year in the new year – on the contrary. Crystal Palace recently became the team of the hour quietly and secretly. In the annual table, the Eagles are in second place after nine games behind Liverpool. In addition, the team has moved into the quarter -finals of the FA Cup with victories over Doncaster (2-0) and Millwall (3: 1). The Premier League rewarded Glasner with a nomination for the title “Trainer of the Month” in February.
The positive development at Palace is reflected on almost all levels: goalkeeper Henderson has stored the uncertainties and was very confident recently. Lacroix communicates more, radiates calm and leads the building game. In the meantime he has become a fan favorite, which the followers sung with “Allez Allez” choirs. Richards filled the Chalobah gap without major problems. Muñoz ‘offensive actions now regularly bear fruits (1 gate, 3 assists in the last six games).
The return of Adam Wharton, which Eagles fans have long been waiting for, is also positive. The 21-year-old left a lasting impression again in his first starting. A number of newcomers Sarr seems to have now arrived after the start -up difficulties. The Senegalese offers important deep runs and is repeatedly staged by Mateta. And partner Eze has also been more constant in his creative game.
The focus of the upswing is undoubtedly Jean-Philippe Mateta. The striker scored eight goals in eight played Premier League games in 2025. Against West Ham and MAN United, Mateta led his team to win 2-0 with a double pack. According to media reports, the emerging form of the Frenchman resulted in the Red Devils think about submitting an offer for the physically strong center forward in summer.
Glasner extension depending on the takeover?
With sporting development, it is not surprising that Oliver Glasner’s contract extension is discussed. This recently reported Fabrizio Romano. The current Glasner Treaty runs until July 2026 and includes an option for one year extension. As a big supporter from the executive floor, Steve Parish would like to extend it directly by two years and offer the Austrian more salary and more influence in transfers in the future.
Here, however, the sticking point could be: Parish can only make large promises to a limited extent. A year ago, investor John Textor, who holds majority shares at the clubs Olympique Lyon, Botafogo and RWD Molenbeek, announced that he wanted to sell his 45 percent shares. Textor is the biggest shareholder of the club, but has the same voting rights as the co -partner Steve Parish, David Blitzer and Josh Harris. Attempts to convince the colleagues from selling their shares to acquire a majority stake in the club failed. That is why Textor is desperately looking for a buyer.
According to “The Guardian”, textor had rejected an offer from a group of entrepreneurs from Saudi Arabia and the USA-including Jason Kidd, coach of the Dallas Mavericks. In January, another group of investors called Sportsbank announced the conclusion of an exclusivity agreement. According to media reports, this agreement includes a complete takeover of Textor’s 45 percent shares. Sportsbank had indicated that they had additional investments in D en clubs want to make what would also affect the squad design. Until the takeover is finalized, Steve Parish Oliver Glasner can only make promises to a limited extent.
Crystal Palace on the way to the best season in club history
Regardless of a possible contract extension, Glasner would like to bring the season to a good end. In order to prepare optimally, Crystal Palace is currently in a midseason training camp in Marbella. The Eagles have the time for this because the next game against Newcastle was postponed due to the EFL Cup final and then the international break begins.
The prospects are promising: the South Londoners have never had 39 points on the account after 28 Premier League games. So now it is the most punctual season in the club’s history. For the first time since the return in 2013, Palace could complete. The distance to the ninth -placed Bournemouth is currently five points, even European places would still be theoretically possible. In addition, the Glasner-Elf is in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and there have already been excreted with Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Man United five of the Big-Six teams.
After a historical false start as a result of a chaotic transfer policy and a number of injuries to service providers, Oliver Glasner Crystal Palace could finally lead to a record season. What the future of the ex-Frankfurt trainer looks like will be shown. In Südlondon, however, hardly a trailer would currently speak against a long -term whereabouts.
