John Textor Josh Harris Crystal Palace
(Credit: Getty Images)
Stefan Borson
Tue 17 June 2025 11:00, UK
Crystal Palace chiefs could be well placed to secure a takeover deal as John Textor looks to sell his shares at Selhurst Park.
The American billionaire is open to selling his stake in the Premier League side for £170million to allow them to play in the Europa League next season.
Palace qualified for the competition after beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final last month to get their hands on their first-ever major trophy.
Textor’s ownership of Lyon has presented a stumbling block after the French side have also qualified for the Europa League, with Uefa’s rules prohibiting clubs controlled by the same owners or directors from competing in the same European competition.
Textor and Palace chairman Steve Parish recently met with Uefa officials in Nyon, Switzerland, to try and resolve the situation.
It’s been widely reported Textor has now received an offer from Woody Johnson, who owns the NFL franchise New York Jets, for his shares at Selhurst Park.
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However, finance expert Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider the only people who could secure a quick deal to resolve the Uefa issue are minority Palace owners David Blitzer and Josh Harris.
The American duo are each believed to own an 18 per cent share in the south London club, while Parish has seen his stake reduced to under 10 per cent in recent years.
John Textor
John Textor’s Eagle Football Holdings is the largest shareholder in Crystal Palace (Credit: Getty Images)
Crystal Palace fans need to hope John Textor receives green light
Borson insisted Palace will be fine to compete in the Europa League if Textor is deemed not to have a decisive influence at Selhurst Park.
He told Football Insider: “I think Palace fans need to hope and assume that the situation has been resolved even without that sale because, fundamentally, Eagle and Texter does not have decisive influence under the current arrangements.
“If he doesn’t have decisive influence, which is the important term, then they don’t breach anyway and they’re fine.
“I think that’s the position that they have to hope is the case.
“Because I think the idea that you could do a quick sale, the only people that could do a quick sale to fix the problem I think would be Blitzer and Harris.
“I think that would work because they’re already obviously approved people for the Premier League ownership test.
“They would just be increasing their stakes.
“But I have no clue as to whether that’s realistic.”
Club Stake (%)
Crystal Palace (England) 43
Botafogo (Brazil) 90
Olympique Lyonnais (France) 77.49
RWD Molenbeek (Belgium) 80
Eagle Football Holdings’ portfolio
Crystal Palace race to sign Oscar Bobb
Selhurst Park chiefs are pushing forward with their plans for next season despite the uncertainty surrounding their Europa League place.
Recruitment expert Mick Brown told Football Insider Palace are among the clubs interested in signing Oscar Bobb this summer.
The Norway international featured just four times for Man City in the 2024-25 season after breaking his leg last August.
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