Palace Hoping Pierre is a Sage Appointment

Crystal Palace have identified Lens boss Pierre Sage as the number one candidate for their vacant managerial role, and have held initial talks with the Frenchman.

Palace’s search for a new manager has lasted almost six months, after Oliver Glasner announced in January that he would be leaving Selhurst Park at the end of the season.

It was a hugely successful stint for Glasner, who won the FA Cup last season, before going on to clinch the Community Shield and Europa Conference League trophies during the 2025-26 campaign.

But a perceived lack of ambition from the club’s board saw Glasner become disillusioned in south London, and having now moved on, the German is believed to be in talks with Italian giants AC Milan.

And Palace now look set to turn to Sage, who has had a fantastic year in charge at Lens, guiding the club to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 and leading them to a first ever Coupe de France success.

Sage was also boss of Lyon from November 2023 to January of 2025, winning 32 of his 56 games in charge.

His preferred style of a 3-4-3 formation is likely to suit a Palace side that have performed well with a wingback system in the past, while his success at a club with limited resources is attractive to a Palace outfit that are known for prioritising Premier League stability.

The Eagles had initially identified Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola as their preferred candidate, but the 43-year-old has instead opted to replace Arne Slot at Liverpool on a two-year deal.

Also linked with the role was Coventry manager Frank Lampard, but with the former Chelsea man having a lucrative release clause in his Coventry deal, Palace have opted for the slightly cheaper option.