It’s crunch time for Crystal Palace.
After an unbelievable 2025 the place the Eagles gained the primary trophy of their 120-year historical past, then the Neighborhood Protect, then went on a club-record run after which certified for the Convention League knockout phases of their first foray into Europe, the temper has been barely dampened.
It is now six with no win in all competitions, after a 1-1 draw with Fulham to begin 2026 following three successive Premier League defeats to finish 2025.
Palace’s small squad is stuffed with drained legs, with simply 14 senior outfield gamers out there for the conflict in opposition to the Cottagers after a gruelling first half of the marketing campaign that has already seen them play 31 occasions.
Not used to the rigours of two or three video games per week, they’re struggling. Albeit this can be a problem that hasn’t been helped by Glasner’s reluctance to rotate and his lack of belief in fringe gamers similar to Romain Esse and Christantus Uche.
If Palace are to attain their objectives this season, January reinforcements shall be key. That won’t solely be essential for numbers, however it’ll additionally scale back the reliance on sure gamers and preserve them on their toes.
Oliver Glasner delivered the primary two trophies in Crystal Palace’s historical past – and time could also be operating out for the membership to again him with reinforcements
After an unbelievable 2025 the place the Eagles gained the primary trophy of their 120-year historical past, the temper has been barely dampened
The FA Cup triumph was backed up with a penalty shootout win over Liverpool within the Neighborhood Protect
Proper now, with an absence of depth, some people are being pressured to play week-in-week-out regardless of a dip in type. This contains Yeremy Pino and Jean-Philippe Mateta, who has been managing a knee problem, however made a welcome return to the scoresheet in opposition to Fulham.
Glasner is assured new arrivals will come, saying after their 2-2 residence draw with Finnish champions KuPS earlier than Christmas: ‘I’m fairly certain we could have one or two signings in January. The membership is working actually onerous to get these offers achieved.’
The Austrian, whose silverware provides him vital energy and leverage, has been sturdy in his requires reinforcements over current months.
Palace’s scenario hasn’t been helped by the accidents suffered by Daniel Munoz, Chris Richards, Will Hughes and Daichi Kamada, together with Ismaila Sarr’s absence at AFCON – shortly after recovering from his personal damage – placing a wafer-thin squad at near breaking level.
The uncertainty round transfers is compounded by Glasner’s future. The Austrian is out of contract on the finish of the marketing campaign and but to commit his future.
Each day Mail Sport understands Glasner is admired by prime golf equipment in Europe and though he has insisted Palace’s hectic run has put talks over his future on maintain, there are growing noises this shall be his final season at Selhurst Park.
‘There is not any time,’ he mentioned when requested about his contract scenario early in December. ‘Imagine me, I am by no means eager about my future proper for the time being. It is not essential proper now.
‘I do know there are such a lot of rumours. However I do not know what number of golf equipment I managed within the final three months and I am nonetheless sitting right here. As quickly as we take a call, primary, the gamers will hear it, and, quantity two, (the media) will hear it.’
Palace’s scenario hasn’t been helped by the accidents suffered by the likes of Daniel Munoz (left)
Ismaila Sarr is one among their most harmful attackers however is now on the Africa Cup of Nations for an prolonged interval
Glasner (proper) has a glowing repute on the continent from his days with Eintracht Frankfurt, the place he gained the Europa League in 2022
Golf equipment who may be on the lookout for a brand new supervisor sooner somewhat than later embody Chelsea, Tottenham and even perhaps Manchester United, whereas Glasner has a glowing repute on the continent from his days with Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Austrian has not been afraid to specific his frustration with the membership’s lack of signings. In the summertime, he hit out at Palace’s hierarchy and even threatened to play himself at centre again in the course of the latter throes of the window if Marc Guehi was offered.
He then accused his bosses of failing to speculate suitably after his aspect’s 2-1 defeat by Manchester United in November. It could be too late to persuade the 51-year-old, who additionally left Frankfurt in 2023 after rising annoyed by the membership’s lack of switch exercise, that Palace can match his ambitions, however a constructive window might shift the dial.
However, contingency plans are being drawn up, and names to have been thrown into the combination embody Rayo Vallecano’s Inigo Perez, Getafe boss Jose Bordalas and Wales head coach Craig Bellamy.
Strasbourg’s ex-Hull Metropolis boss Liam Rosenior was additionally muted, however that at all times felt unlikely, and has since been halted by his seemingly transfer to Chelsea, his present employers’ mum or dad membership. Bellamy’s future is more likely to be tied as to if (and the way far) he leads Wales at subsequent summer season’s World Cup.
Palace haven’t given up hope of holding the Austrian nonetheless, and they’re set for a busy January to not solely assist increase their squad, however to appease Glasner and present they’ll match his ambition.
Earlier than the window opened Each day Mail Sport understood that switch targets had been being lined up in quite a lot of positions, together with ready-made attackers who match into Palace’s system like Brennan Johnson, who has joined in a £35million deal from Spurs. The Eagles have constantly been responsible of wastefulness this season. Their tally of twenty-two objectives from an xG of 31.5 is the Premier League’s greatest underperformance.
‘We’re the workforce which can be continually underperforming in scoring objectives after we create so much, however no person does it on objective. We have to get this mounted,’ Glasner mentioned after the 1-0 defeat by Tottenham final week. ‘It is not that we do not create the possibilities, we simply miss them proper now. The nearer we get to the aim, the extra nervous we glance and the extra fallacious selections we make.’
Rayo Vallecano boss Inigo Perez is among the names being floated if Glasner does depart
Getafe supervisor Jose Bordalas can be within the dialogue
Palace wished a No 10 with the same profile to Pino, a standards Johnson ought to match. The Spaniard performed on the wing for Villarreal final season, however he has primarily slotted in because the left-sided No 10 for Glasner, together with his dribbling and directness seen as amongst his greatest strengths.
Oscar Bobb was of curiosity earlier than Johnson’s signing, however he’s additionally appreciated by Fulham, Spurs and Borussia Dortmund – and the Norwegian was at all times anticipated to go elsewhere if he does depart Man Metropolis.
Palace desire a proper wing-back to ease the load on the dynamic Munoz, who’s out with a knee damage and never anticipated to return till mid-January on the earliest. The Colombian had began each recreation of the season till he suffered the issue. Bayern Munich’s Sacha Boey is on their listing.
Munoz was understood to be fatigued and though Nathaniel Clyne has achieved advantageous in his absence – and impressed in opposition to Fulham – the 34-year-old is an inferior participant. With Sarr at AFCON, Palace’s right-hand aspect, so essential to their fashion, has been decimated.
Membership captain Guehi is predicted to remain till the top of his contract this summer season, however the Eagles will transfer for a left-sided centre again if he does depart this month for no matter cause.
Central defence is an space that has had a heavy workload, with Guehi having already made 29 appearances in 2025-26, whereas Maxence Lacroix has performed each minute of the marketing campaign bar the 90 in opposition to KuPS when Glasner made 11 modifications.
Though unlikely, Palace might signal a centre again this month to bolster the squad and provides them time to mattress in forward of Guehi’s summer season exit.
Elsewhere, Palace might look to usher in a central midfielder with Kamada more likely to miss 10 weeks with the hamstring damage he suffered in opposition to Man Metropolis. final month. Wolves’ Joao Gomes and Kevin Danois of Auxerre are two names which were floated.
Membership captain Marc Guehi is predicted to remain till the top of his contract this summer season
Auxerre teenager Kevin Danois is an possibility if Palace dip into the midfield market this month
A transfer for a striker has not been dominated out too, with Mateta’s current struggles compounded with Glasner’s reluctance to belief Uche and Eddie Nketiah’s restricted influence in current weeks, whereas the latter is now additionally injured.
A protracted-term alternative for Mateta could also be wanted anyway, with the French worldwide believed to be more and more unlikely to signal a brand new deal forward of his contract expiring in the summertime of 2027. He’s undoubtedly at his peak, however has annoyed followers with poor ending.
It’s understood Palace are keen to rival West Ham for Jorgen Strand Larsen at Wolves, for whom relegation is inevitable.
The very fact the Black Nation outfit rejected a £60m bid for the Norwegian in the summertime from Newcastle might also show to be a stumbling block, although his worth has absolutely dropped after a poor first half of the season.
Raheem Sterling may very well be a final resort in assault if the membership fails to signal different targets.
There will not be anticipated to be main outgoings, though a number of key gamers will seemingly entice curiosity on the finish of the season, together with Adam Wharton, as Chelsea and Liverpool stay within the combine for the England midfielder.
Undesirable midfielder Naouirou Ahamada, whose final look got here in Might 2024, is ready to depart in January if a membership comes ahead, whereas Esse might exit on mortgage.
It needs to be famous Palace’s signings have typically struggled to right away settle underneath Glasner given the calls for of his 3-4-2-1 system, which means persistence could also be wanted with whoever arrives. This gained’t be helped by the restricted coaching time they’ve had amid the hectic schedule, though that ought to barely ease after their FA Cup tie at Macclesfield subsequent week.
Jean-Philippe Mateta (centre) is undoubtedly at his peak, however has annoyed followers in current weeks with poor ending
Jorgen Strand Larsen of Wolves is on Palace’s listing, however will he be up on the market?
The Eagles want some signings to support the squad and fanbase, and to assist be sure that they don’t waste a golden alternative with arguably the most effective supervisor within the membership’s historical past
No matter occurs, it guarantees to be an intriguing month at Selhurst Park, and their work available in the market might have a direct influence on Glasner’s future. He even rowed again on a few of his feedback after the draw with Fulham, admitting that he didn’t fairly grasp the burden the membership had been preventing underneath.
But, regardless of the current frustrations at Selhurst Park, it’s simple to neglect Palace are having fun with a number of the finest occasions within the membership’s historical past.
They’re three factors off the highest 5 and a possible Champions League place, begin their FA Cup defence in a few weeks and are nonetheless the bookies’ favourites to win the Convention League.
The Eagles simply want some signings to support the squad and fanbase, and to assist be sure that they don’t waste a golden alternative with arguably the most effective supervisor within the membership’s historical past. The arrival of Johnson is an efficient begin.
