Crystal Palace Turns to Pierre Sage as Iraola Nears Liverpool Talks

Crystal Palace’s search for a new head coach has taken a sharp turn, with Lens boss Pierre Sage now expected to sit down with club officials in the early part of this week.

Palace had pushed hard to land Andoni Iraola as the successor to Oliver Glasner, but that pursuit is set to end in frustration. The Spaniard is due to begin formal talks with Liverpool in the coming days, with the Conference League winners moving quickly after sacking Arne Slot on Saturday.

Palace had made a firm proposal to Iraola and, for a time, believed they were well placed. That picture has changed. With Iraola seemingly heading towards Anfield, attention in south London has shifted.

Sage is among the leading alternatives. The 47-year-old has built a growing reputation as one of Europe’s most progressive coaches, his work at Lens drawing admiring glances across the continent. He is understood to be open to the idea of moving to the Premier League, and a face-to-face meeting with Palace is expected in the coming days.

BBC Sport first revealed on 8 May that Palace had identified Sage as a candidate, though the hierarchy, led by chairman Steve Parish, remained locked on Iraola at that stage as they tried to prise him from Bournemouth.

That plan is all but over. Now, Palace are casting the net wider, assessing a number of options while insisting they will not be bounced into a rushed decision over Glasner’s replacement.

Sage, though, is moving firmly into focus. How those talks unfold could shape not just Palace’s next chapter, but the trajectory of one of Europe’s most intriguing emerging coaches.