Despite the Eagles’ hierarchy approving significant spending in the final hours of the window, Glasner confirmed that their attempts to recruit a new centre-back were rebuffed by clubs unwilling to sell their prized assets so close to the 7pm deadline.
Glasner unveils Crystal Palace’s Deadline Day drama
The Austrian manager, who has often been frustrated with the club’s recruitment strategy, admitted that while the intention was there, the timing proved fatal.
Glasner said (quotes via Standard)
“I have learned to accept situations. My wish, and that of everyone at the club, would of course have been that JP.” [Mateta] gets what he wants and we get Jorgen [Strand Larsen] and Dwight McNeil into the building and Marc Guehi’s replacement into the building.
“This is what everyone was working on until the last seconds. At the end, the club tried everything with huge offers and huge bids for a replacement for Marc Guehi, but the clubs said they are not selling on Deadline Day.”
“Thanks to the club that, without getting any money for JP, they spent a large fee on Strand Larsen.
“On the other hand, McNeil was the last one we thought we could close, but in the final minutes the terms of the deal changed again and the deal fell through. I was expecting him and scheduled him in the next day’s practice.”
Glasner was not happy with Crystal Palace selling Marc Guéhi mid-season
The main source of Glasner’s discontent stems from the mid-season departure of club captain Marc Guehi, who joined Manchester City in a deal worth an initial £20 million.
The move left a gaping hole in a defense already weakened by the summer sale of Eberechi Eze to Arsenal.
Glasner previously described the sale of his captain just 24 hours before a Premier League match as ‘discarded’, arguing the squad did not have the necessary depth to compete at the top level.
The inability to secure a direct replacement on Deadline Day, despite interest in Lyon’s Ruben Kluivert and Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez, will leave Palace at the back of the table for the remainder of the campaign.
Glasner would leave the club at the end of the season
The tension over the transfer policy ultimately led to a definitive break. Glasner has confirmed he will leave Selhurst Park this summer in search of a ‘new challenge’ once his contract expires.
Despite leading Palace to a historic FA Cup win in 2025, the disarray in coordination between the manager and the board over the timing of player sales and arrivals has made his departure inevitable.
Manchester United were among the clubs interested in Glasner, but given Michael Carrick’s impeccable start as agent, the club could ultimately stick with the club legend.
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