Although Oliver Glasner’s announcement that he will leave Crystal Palace at the end of the season has caused a lot of confusion, at least there is clarity at Selhurst Park.
In fairness, the ship has steadied in recent weeks, with Palace no longer looking over their shoulder at the Premier League relegation package and instead hoping to win and enter European contention.
In addition, the Eagles are among the favorites to win the Conference League and have made back-to-back title campaigns under Glasner’s wing.
Why Glasner left Palace
Glasner distanced himself after revealing he would be leaving and appeared to criticize Crystal Palace fans for showing ambition after their club beat Manchester City to lift the FA Cup.
The 51-year-old said he was looking for a “new challenge”, and perhaps after winning the title and leading the south Londoners to Europe he feels he has achieved all he set out to do and more.
Under Glasner, Palace has done some smart business. There has been a lot of energy in the financial exchange recently, but in truth, he may have overachieved, and his frustration with the departure and the ‘lack of ambition’ of the chairman Steve Parish and the power will shine on his decision, especially since Manchester United suggests that he has learned to offend with his signing.
However, the gaffer is not the only one who will be leaving this summer. Jean-Philippe Mateta is one. The Austrian’s top scorer has since arrived, almost signing for AC Milan in a £30m deal last summer, with a medical failure scuppering a January switch.
|
Glasner’s top goals at Crystal Palace |
||
|---|---|---|
|
The player |
Applications |
Goals |
|
Jean-Philippe Mateta |
93 |
40 |
|
Ismail Sarr |
76 |
25 |
|
Eberechi Eze |
56 |
20 |
|
Eddie Nketiah |
56 |
11 |
|
Daniel Munoz |
91 |
10 |
With Jorgen Strand Larsen arriving for a club-record fee in 2026, it makes sense for him to move on, but that may not be the only change in the final third.
Palace could part ways with the £30m striker
If Glasner offered to sign a new contract, Crystal Palace and many of their supporters would jump at the idea. However, change is probably necessary at this stage.
Who else remains to be seen, but while the likes of Adam Wharton and Ismaila Sarr are key parts of the project, it’s probably not wrong to suggest that Eddie Nketiah could continue.
Interestingly, Nketiah is Glasner’s fourth goalscorer at Selhurst Park. After all, he has faced his share of criticism since his £30m move to Arsenal from Arsenal in 2024.
Nketiah has scored four goals in 19 games in all competitions this season, two in the Premier League, but has been sidelined since December with a thigh injury and has not even been trusted to play a key role in the Conference League, making his first five outings.
For a player who came to earn a good penny and was praised as a “monster” by Mikel Arteta, he may not have had the result he wanted. Strand Larsen, on the other hand, has hit the mark this season, so it seems unlikely that Nketiah will play a leading role next season.
At the age of 26, will the one-capped England player want to play the second game again? Palace may need another striker to complement their new Norwegian, but even if Mateta leaves, selling Nketiah and bringing in another smart player would be the perfect way to keep things moving.
Glasner has expressed a lack of ambition at the club, but by bringing in Nketiah and looking for a new goalscorer, it will fill the incoming manager with a sense of hope, ensuring the Eagles are not ready to rest after recent success.
Parish found gold in Crystal Palace starlet Strand Larsen
It seems that Crystal Palace have done a very good business with the signing of one star.
