Guardian writers’ predicted position: 14th (NB: this is not necessarily Ed Aarons’ prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 12th
Prospects
Crystal Palace’s achievement of winning the club’s first major trophy by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final should have made it a summer to savour for supporters. Instead, it has been spent nervously awaiting news over which European competition the team will play in after Uefa eventually said Palace had breached its rules on multi-club ownership.
Palace’s fate is still yet to be resolved as they prepare for their appeal against demotion to the Conference League at the court of arbitration for sport, with a decision expected on Monday. At least that will finally provide clarity as the club attempt to build on last season’s success, although a lack of signings is an indication of the effect such uncertainty has had on their planning. The Argentina goalkeeper Walter Benítez and Croatia defender Borna Sosa have been the only additions to Oliver Glasner’s squad and the Austrian manager admitted during Palace’s pre-season tour last week that he was “promised more”.
With doubts over the futures of the captain Marc Guéhi, who has entered the final 12 months of his contract and is wanted by Liverpool, and the Arsenal target Eberechi Eze, the chair Steve Parish faces another testing month as Palace attempt to keep hold of their most important players. He has yet to replace Dougie Freedman after the sporting director’s surprise departure for Saudi Arabia and it looks as if Palace will be forced to repeat last year’s flurry of late transfer business that brought four signings on deadline day.
Glasner’s side failed to win until their ninth match last season – a nightmare start that meant even a spectacular turnaround after November that culminated in their FA Cup triumph could not quite clinch a top-half finish. Palace have shown they are capable of achieving that, although their chances will be complicated by being in Europe.
The manager
Glasner is not the kind of manager who hangs around if he doesn’t think a club match his ambition. The softly spoken 50-year-old with the Austrian equivalent of an MBA in business administration has yet to recommence talks over extending a contract that has less than a year remaining and has made clear that he wanted more investment in a squad that has thrived since he was appointed in February 2024. If Palace are to have any chance of avoiding becoming what Glasner described as “a one-hit wonder” then the club must do all they can to keep him happy.
Off-field picture
Woody Johnson has replaced his fellow American John Textor as the club’s biggest shareholder after Palace’s issues with Uefa, and the hope is that the New York Jets owner can provide some stability in the boardroom given the turmoil of recent months. It remains to be seen whether Johnson will be able to stump up the extra funding required for the new Main Stand that some insiders fear could cost up to £250m, although the 78-year-old who previously tried to buy Chelsea is estimated to have a £3.5bn fortune. His relationship with Parish, who saved his boyhood club from administration in 2010 and has established them as Premier League regulars, will be crucial to whether Palace can continue to progress.
after newsletter promotion
Star signing
Snapping up a 27-year-old Croatia international for £3m is pretty much unheard of these days but Palace will be hoping that Sosa can follow in the footsteps of Daniel Muñoz and take the Premier League by storm. The Colombian wing-back has been a revelation down the right since joining from Genk for £6.8m last year and Glasner has wanted competition for Tyrick Mitchell on the left for some time. Sosa has plenty of experience having played in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and in his homeland, as well as being part of the Croatia squad that finished third at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Stepping up
Romain Esse scored his first Premier League goal 25 seconds into his debut in January, a couple of weeks after his move from south London rivals Millwall for an initial £12m. Yet the 20-year-old forward was hauled off by Glasner in the final game of the season against Liverpool amid suggestions that he was not playing “100% for the team”. “He knows why, that’s enough,” said the Palace manager. Esse should get his opportunities this season given the extra games in Europe and will be eager to prove he can live up to the potential he showed in the Championship.
A big season for …
Chadi Riad didn’t have much luck during his first season in south London. The Morocco defender, who came through Barcelona’s academy and was signed from Real Betis for about £14m, damaged knee ligaments 10 minutes into his second appearance for Palace in a Carabao Cup tie against Norwich in August. He returned in January but was then ruled out for the rest of the season after sustaining another serious knee injury in training. Riad’s expected return in the near future will be most welcome in an area of the team where Palace have been stretched. It will be a bonus too for Palace if, as expected, the Mali midfielder Cheick Doucouré is back soon, after he was sidelined for most of last season.
