Crystal Palace have entered into discussions with Pierre Sage with the intention of appointing him as their new head coach, following his impressive tenure at Lens, where he guided the club to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 and secured the Coupe de France title. The Frenchman has emerged as the primary candidate after Andoni Iraola, the former Bournemouth manager, entered talks with Liverpool to succeed Arne Slot.
Sage's Remarkable Season at Lens
Pierre Sage took over a Lens side that had finished eighth in the previous campaign and transformed them into genuine title contenders. Under his leadership, Lens finished just six points behind champions Paris Saint-Germain and clinched the Coupe de France, marking a historic double achievement. Sage previously managed Lyon for just over a year before being dismissed in January 2025. He is reportedly keen to make the move to Selhurst Park, and a deal is expected to be finalised soon.
Palace's Managerial Search
Crystal Palace also considered Frank Lampard for the role, but the compensation fee required to release him from Coventry—believed to be around £5 million—proved prohibitive. Lampard led Coventry to promotion from the Championship in April. The club's current manager, Oliver Glasner, is departing after a highly successful spell that saw him win the FA Cup last season and add the Conference League title last week. Glasner wrote an open letter to fans on Tuesday, expressing his gratitude for the opportunity.
"The club is built on the strongest of connections between the team and its fans," Glasner wrote. "I feel very fortunate to have been on an amazing journey with you all during the time I have been here." He added that the team's results had "shown that Crystal Palace can fight against the very best teams at home and across the continent."
Crystal Palace's season has been a rollercoaster, but they ended on a high note with European success. As a new era dawns, the club is poised to bring in Sage, who has demonstrated his tactical acumen and ability to build a winning culture.
