Crystal Palace have confirmed the appointment of Pierre Sage as their new head coach, with the Frenchman signing a three-year contract. The club are determined to retain their key players this summer and plan to support Sage in the transfer market as they prepare for their Europa League campaign.
Sage replaces Oliver Glasner, having led Lens to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 last season and secured the Coupe de France. He emerged as Palace's preferred candidate after they missed out on Andoni Iraola, and his preference for a 3-4-2-1 system was a key factor in his appointment.
"It's amazing to be here at Crystal Palace," Sage said. "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."
Sage will be joined by his assistant from Lens, Jamal Alioui, a former Morocco defender. He is believed to have received assurances from co-chair Steve Parish that he will be able to strengthen the squad. Palace are targeting a central midfielder and have held talks with Middlesbrough over Hayden Hackney, although Everton are also interested in the England Under-21 player.
Additionally, Palace are looking to sign a central defender to provide cover for their second European campaign after winning the Conference League under Glasner last month. However, they may face a battle to keep Maxence Lacroix, who is part of France's World Cup squad and has attracted interest from Liverpool and Manchester United. Adam Wharton, Daniel Muñoz, and Ismaïla Sarr are also expected to draw attention, with Liverpool closely monitoring Wharton despite him missing the World Cup.
Last week, Palace confirmed they had offered Daichi Kamada a new deal, but the Japan midfielder has yet to commit his future. A new contract has also been on the table for Jean-Philippe Mateta since his January move to Milan fell through, but the France striker could be sold if another club meets their valuation.
"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," Parish said. "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."
