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Liverpool have already confirmed Andoni Iraola has agreed a deal to become the club’s new head coach ahead of the 2026-27 season. The 43-year-old will take charge at Anfield following the departure of Arne Slot.
Iraola arrives after three impressive seasons with Bournemouth, guiding the Cherries into Europe for the first time in their history with a sixth-place Premier League finish.
Before Iraola’s appointment, several managers were linked with the Liverpool job, including Lens manager Pierre Sage.
The Frenchman previously admitted Liverpool would be his dream destination, describing England as the best country for football and praising the Premier League in an interview with Téléfoot.
However, Sage has now been appointed Crystal Palace head coach on a three-year contract.The 47-year-old Frenchman replaces Oliver Glasner, who left Crystal Palace at the end of the 2025-26 season after two and a half years in charge.
Sage arrives after an outstanding campaign with Lens, guiding the club to a second-place Ligue 1 finish and their first Coupe de France title in 120 years. He was also named Ligue 1 Manager of the Year.
The former Lyon boss, who led the club to Europa League qualification in 2024-25, had previously been linked with the Liverpool job before Andoni Iraola’s appointment.
Sage succeeds Glasner following a successful spell that saw the Austrian deliver Palace’s first major trophy, the FA Cup, in 2025, before adding the Community Shield and Conference League.
Palace will compete in the Europa League next season, while Sage will be joined by former Lens assistant Jamal Alioui.
Pierre Sage said: “It’s amazing to be here at Crystal Palace. I am excited by the history of the club, and by recent seasons. Oliver Glasner achieved some amazing things, and now I have to do the same. That’s why we come here with a lot of ambition.
“The dynamic here is really positive, and we are in this mindset too. We won last year – and we want to continue in this way, in a new club, a new project, but with a lot of winning habits.
“We want to give our best every day for the team, for the club, for the people, and especially for the fans, because when you love a club in England, it’s for all your life.
“We want to give the fans what they want. We want to make the fans smile, to be proud of the team, and to be proud of the club – so we will give our best for you, and we are together.”
Chairman Steve Parish added: “I am tremendously excited to welcome Pierre, who joins us off the back of a trophy-winning season at Lens as well as a fabulous second-place finish in Ligue 1.
“As we move into another European campaign off the back of our success in Leipzig, I know he will give everything to target more success for our fantastic Football Club.”
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— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) June 15, 2026