Oliver Glasner is set to depart Crystal Palace and it could see Liverpool step up their interest in one of their players.
Oliver Glasner had already dropped one bombshell at his pre-match press conference. Unprompted, and the Selhurst Park hierarchy reportedly unaware, he announced that he'd be leaving his role as head coach when his contract expires in June.
In truth, it is not a major surprise that Glasner will leave the Eagles. He will go down as Palace's greatest-ever manager, having guided the club to their maiden FA Cup triumph, as well as the Community Shield. The Austrian's stock is high.
But after a 2-1 defeat by Sunderland, Glasner opted to drop another hand grenade. He decided to reveal that he felt 'completely abandoned' by Palace's board. It seems that the decision to agree to sell captain Marc Guehi to Manchester City on the eve of the game was the final straw. Losing at the Stadium of Light hardly helped his mood. Conducting post-match media duties, Glasner claimed he does not care if he sees out his Eagles contract.
Reports suggest that Glasner will not be sacked. But it signals turbulence in South London, with the Guardian suggesting that chairman Steve Parish has been left ‘dismayed’. Palace have already sold Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and now Guehi. In addition, Jean-Philippe Mateta is reportedly in talks with Juventus as his deal expires in 2027.
“Your heart gets torn out twice in a season, one day before a game,” said Glasner. “It’s tough to survive. That’s how it feels right now. We feel that we’re being abandoned. There’s no support. Everybody’s disappointed. We’ve been playing with 12 to 13 players for weeks now. On the bench, I had just kids.”
Those inside the Selhurst Park dressing room may feel that the end of a glorious period is soon to curtail. Others could begin to assess their options. Adam Wharton may feel that his time at Palace is naturally coming to a conclusion with the ongoing departures.
Wharton is the Eagles' prized asset. The midfielder only joined the club from Blackburn Rovers but he has made tremendous progress. Wharton is widely regarded as one of the No.6s in the Premier League. His performances have unsurprisingly seen him linked with several clubs, with one being Liverpool.
The Reds could well be in the market for a new holding midfielder come the end of the season. Wataru Endo will have just a year left on his deal, having barely played this season. Liverpool could look to cash in. Curtis Jones is in a similar position and may feel he has a decision to make over his future.
Meanwhile, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister will all have two years remaining on their respective deals. Liverpool may not be able to hand all three bumper new contracts. Mac Allister, who is reportedly on Real Madrid’s radar, has been well below the levels he’s previously displayed at Anfield.
There are also some who feel that Gravenberch, who was deployed as a No.6 so successfully when the Reds won the Premier League title last season, should be moved into a more advanced position and a specialist to shield the defence should be recruited. Liverpool have tried, having failed to capture Martin Zubimendi and Moises Caicedo in recent years.
Palace will know that they cannot keep Wharton forever. Indeed, his agent, James Featherstone, recently admitted that the England international has plans to move to a Champions League club in the future and ensure he is a regular the Three Lions.
“What do you have to do to play for England?” Featherstone said. “Well, you need to play in the Champions League. To play in the Champions League, you need to play for one of the top teams in one of the top leagues.
"He was at Blackburn Rovers at the time, so the easiest path would have been to get into Blackburn's team and then get promoted to the Premier League because that jump to a Champions League team at a young age, you can get lost.
"So, the plan underneath Champions League was Premier League, and at the time, Blackburn were in or around the play-offs. They ultimately ended up down the other end of the league, and that was when the move to Crystal Palace happened. We had a lot of different options.
"But I absolutely knew Palace was the right environment. We had players in the dressing room who understood the culture, and felt it would be the perfect step for him on that journey It's two years next month, and to have won an FA Cup and played for England; they are the bit you take and run with.
"We've got a plan. It doesn't have to be achieved right at this moment. He's got his in-game and in-season goals, so he's got to do his bit, and the rest will take care of itself in a very structured and calm way to ultimately maximise his talent."
Glasner’s impending exit casts more uncertainty around Palace. They will face the challenge of replacing the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss, which will be a tall order. Their better players are departing, with Daichi Kamada’s deal also coming to a close in a few months. Wharton may feel that it is approaching the right time to depart the capital - and Liverpool might be paying close attention.
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