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…
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