The Eagles will look to kick on after their historic FA Cup win but face an anxious wait to discover their Europa League fate
Where does a football club go next after climbing Mount Everest?
It is a question that applies to Crystal Palace, a little over a month on from their historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City, when a 119-year wait for a major trophy ended abruptly on a dreamy, sun-soaked day at Wembley.
Palace fans have had a spring in their step ever since and will do so until 17 August at least, when their 2025-26 Premier League campaign begins against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
It has been a joyous time for Palace, but a testing one too, fraught with concerns over whether or not they will be able to play in Europe next season.
What’s going on with Textor?
By winning the FA Cup, Crystal Palace automatically qualified for next season’s Europa League. Discounting a 4-0 defeat to Samsunspor in the 1998 Intertoto Cup, Palace have never played European competition football before.
You probably know about Palace’s European predicament by now, but Uefa are looking to throw the book at them over potential multi-club ownership breaches.
Majority shareholder John Textor has a 77 per cent controlling stake in Lyon, another Europa League club in the American’s Eagles Holdings stable.
According to The Guardian, Woody Johnson, the New York Jets owner (and heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company, and long-term political donor to President Donald Trump) is set to become Palace’s unlikely white knight.
Johnson has offered £190m for Textor’s 43 per cent stake in Palace and the club will hope a deal can be done quickly to aid their defence and boost their chances of playing in Europe.
Who could leave?
Europa League or not, Palace were always in danger of being picked at by clubs with greater resources, as underdogs often are after winning a trophy. The grey cloud hanging over them, though, is certainly not helpful.
The Eagles held onto Marc Guehi after rejecting £70m offers from Newcastle United last summer and Tottenham Hotspur in January, but may find it more difficult to keep the England international out of Premier League champions Liverpool’s clutches.
The Reds have identified Guehi as a potential replacement for Bayer Leverkusen-bound Jarell Quansah, and their pursuit could be helped by the 24-year-old entering the final 12 months of his deal at Selhurst Park.
Manchester City are reportedly plotting a move for Eberechi Eze (Photo: Getty)
Eberechi Eze is another England international admired by Premier League clubs. The 27-year-old has been linked with Manchester City (who have since signed Rayan Cherki) and Tottenham, and has only two years left on his contract.
Jean-Philippe Mateta is another key player in his prime. He has been tipped as a target for Manchester United and Juventus.
The striker, who turns 28 next week, was set to receive his first senior France call-up in March, before suffering a horror ear injury against Millwall. He may regard European football as essential if he is to gatecrash Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad.
Loanees Ben Chilwell and Matt Turner have returned to Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, respectively.
Who could join?
Uefa’s investigation has hindered Palace’s summer planning, with issues such as budget and squad size still uncertain. For now, they are unable to use the Europa League as a carrot to dangle in front of prospective signings.
This is also the first transfer window in eight years that Palace are navigating without the acclaimed former sporting director, Dougie Freedman. The Scot left in April to join Saudi second-tier side Al-Diraiyah.
Nevertheless, Palace are doing their best to press on. Argentine goalkeeper Walter Benitez is set to arrive on a free from PSV Eindhoven to compete with first-choice Dean Henderson.
The highly-rated 21-year-old centre-back Ousmane Diomande is reportedly a target, possibly as a Guehi replacement.
The Ivorian has played a key role in Sporting Lisbon’s back-to-back league title wins and is accustomed to playing in a back three, a system favoured by Oliver Glasner. He could cost a club-record fee of £40m plus.
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Can they kick on again in 2025-26?
For all the uncertainty hovering over Palace at present, there is no reason why they cannot kick on from their FA Cup triumph next season.
Keeping Glasner was Palace’s top priority this summer, and the Austrian is set to stay despite links to Tottenham, who have appointed Thomas Frank, and RB Leipzig. Palace are keen to extend Glasner’s contract beyond next summer.
Glasner is an elite coach who has transformed Palace’s style of play from dull and defensive to ambitious and attacking. The entire mood around the club has shifted for the better during his 16 months in charge.
He led Palace to a 12th-place finish in the Premier League last term, and while the club are often mocked for always ending there or thereabouts, they surpassed the 50-point mark (with 53) for the first time in the Premier League era.
The nucleus of an excellent squad is already in place. Henderson has made a superb impact, Maxence Lacroix grew in stature as last season progressed, Adam Wharton is one of English football’s brightest young talents, the Eze x Mateta link-up is a joy to watch.
One or two key players are bound to go, but Palace have rebounded well to big-name exits in the past. Wilfried Zaha, Joachim Andersen and Michael Olise have all left since 2023, and Palace have grown stronger.
There is no reason why they can’t kick on again, especially if Uefa see sense and allows them to take their deserved place in Europe.