Football has a funny way of churning out narratives. For Crystal Palace, the fact that there has been so much frustration wrapped around the 2025/26 campaign, and yet more title-winning success may be on the cards, underscores that point.
On Thursday, the Eagles will look to defend their 3-0 lead over Fiorentina in the Conference League quarter-finals, securing the commanding result at Selhurst Park.
Oliver Glasner may be leaving the club at the end of the season, but he has the chance to create another moment of magic for an outfit on the up, and he's doing so after losing Marc Guehi to Manchester City in January and Eberechi Eze to Arsenal last summer.
oliver-glasner-crystal-palace
However, it's Michael Olise who has left the biggest hole in the squad, with the Bayern Munich superstar now praised as "one of the best wingers in the world" by podcaster Henry Swain.
How Crystal Palace have replaced Michael Olise
Olise left Crystal Palace for Bayern Munich in 2024, joining the German giants for a £50m fee. He has indeed gone on to become a superstar, levels above the likes of Eze, as talented an iconic as the Gunners winger is in south London.
Replacing the France international was never going to be easy. He is a one-of-a-kind player. However, Ismaila Sarr has gone from strength to strength in an Eagles shirt, and with 16 goals from 34 matches, the Senegalese attacker has taken a talismanic role left vacant after Olise's departure.
He might not be an innately creative player, but Sarr has certainly helped to fill an Olise-shaped hole in Glasner's squad, becoming increasingly important.
However, it's probably fair to argue that the 28-year-old's ceiling is limited, and that the Eagles may need to look elsewhere to find a poster boy capable of reaching similar heights to Bayern's prolific winger.
Most Assists in a Season in Europe's Top 5 Leagues (21st Century)
Player
Thomas Muller (Bayern)
Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
Thomas Muller (Bayern)
Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)
Zvjezdan Misimovic (Wolfsburg)
Michael Olise (Bayern)
Luckily, Glasner may well have found such a player - and he's not even a forward.
Crystal Palace midfielder could be the new Michael Olise
Crystal Palace have their sights set on more silverware, and while Olise left before getting to taste the title-winning success at Selhurst Park, Adam Wharton has been a mainstay throughout this period.
Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton reacts after being sent off
Wharton has made 86 appearances for the club since he joined as a teenager from Blackburn Rovers. He has not scored, but he has registered 12 assists, lauded as a "cheat code" on the ball by analyst and scout Ben Mattinson. His skillset is a unique one, unable to be matched by anyone else at Palace.
The 22-year-old is coveted by some of Europe's biggest clubs, and while he is endowed with athleticism and natural technical skill, he has also demonstrated an ability to grow and develop, something Olise did too after joining the Londoners from Reading way back when.
Take, for example, the development of Wharton's creative numbers since he joined the club. While he has always been a progressive player, his accuracy and intent have seen improvements, now creating big chances on the regular.
Adam Wharton's Creativity in the Premier League
Season
25/26
24/25
23/24
He shares with Olise a natural playmaking strength, and though they are very different players, the Palace midfielder has the potential to become a global superstar, with recent transfer interest from Liverpool revealing that the England international has been valued at £100m by his employers.
This emphasises the hype behind Wharton's name. He is an FA Cup and Community Shield champion. Adding to that cabinet with the Conference League title is hardly out of the question, too, and that would mean that Palace would secure passage into next year's Europa League proper.
Whether Crystal Palace manage to retain Wharton's services over the coming years remains to be seen, but with him in the starting 11, they will continue to flourish and they will continue to challenge at higher ground than normal.
Should he leave, it will be for a big-money fee, eclipsing the figure Bayern Munich paid to take Olise from Steve Parish's books.
Mauricio Pochettino coach of U.S. during the match Related
[Glasner upgrade: Crystal Palace set to hold talks with a "Pochettino clone"](https://www.footballfancast.com/glasner-upgrade-crystal-palace-set-to-hold-talks-with-iraola/ "Glasner upgrade: Crystal Palace set to hold talks with a "Pochettino clone"")
Crystal Palace are preparing for Oliver Glasner's departure at the end of the season.