Oliver Glasner has confirmed he will leave Crystal Palace at the end of the season, having informed the chairman, Steve Parish, in October that he wanted a new challenge. The Austrian, who led Palace to their first major trophy with FA Cup success last year, is out of contract this summer and has been linked with Manchester United in recent weeks.
Speaking before Saturday's match at Sunderland, Glasner said the decision had been made months ago. "I had a meeting with Steve in October, the international break. I told him: 'I will not sign a new contract,'" he said. "We agreed it was best to keep it between us and keep it confidential for three months. But now it's important to have clarity."
Glasner also revealed that captain Marc Guéhi is close to joining Manchester City, with the England defender omitted from the squad for the trip to the north-east. "My latest understanding is that a deal with Marc is in the final stages," he said. "The result is that Marc doesn't play tomorrow for us."
Jean-Philippe Mateta, Palace's leading scorer, could also leave if a suitable offer arrives. Juventus are interested but have not met Palace's demands. Glasner said a price exists with 18 months left on Mateta's contract, and the deal would happen if the player wanted it, otherwise he stays.
Palace have made a €20m (£17.3m) offer for Angers striker Sidiki Chérif and are confident the 19-year-old wants to join. The club have begun searching for Glasner's replacement, with Getafe's José Bordalás, Rayo Vallecano's Iñigo Pérez and Ipswich's Kieran McKenna among the names considered. McKenna was also a candidate when Roy Hodgson left in February 2024.
Glasner, who won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, insisted his relationship with Parish remains strong. "We have a great relationship and we're always talking about what is best for Crystal Palace," he said. He added that Palace will face Zrinjski Mostar in the Conference League playoff and aim for their best points tally in history.
