Pierre Sage: New Crystal Palace manager out to achieve the same as Oliver Glasner after appointment is confirmed

Crystal Palace have confirmed the appointment of Pierre Sage as their new manager.

The 47-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-year contract at Selhurst Park, pending confirmation of his visa, and will succeed Oliver Glasner who departed at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.

Glasner steered Palace to FA Cup glory and the Community Shield in 2025 before guiding the club to their first ever European trophy last month, winning the Conference League final 1-0 against Rayo Vallecano.

Sage also celebrated silverware last season, as he helped Lens to their first Coupe de France triumph in their 120-year history.

Last season’s Ligue 1 Manager of the Year also led Lens to an impressive second-placed finish in the French top- light, securing Champions League football for the club, but he is now ready to take on a fresh challenge in the Premier League with Crystal Palace.

Sage: ‘I have to do the same as Glasner’

"It's special to play here" ? pic.twitter.com/GvcsEQ8eGB
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) June 15, 2026

“It’s amazing to be here at Crystal Palace,” Sage told the club’s official website. “I am excited by the history of the club, and by recent seasons. Oliver Glasner achieved some amazing things, and now I have to do the same. That’s why we come here with a lot of ambition.

“The dynamic here is really positive, and we are in this mindset too. We won last year – and we want to continue in this way, in a new club, a new project, but with a lot of winning habits.

“We want to give our best every day for the team, for the club, for the people, and especially for the fans, because when you love a club in England, it’s for all your life.

“We want to give the fans what they want. We want to make the fans smile, to be proud of the team, and to be proud of the club – so we will give our best for you, and we are together.”

Chairman Steve Parish added: “I am tremendously excited to welcome Pierre, who joins us off the back of a trophy-winning season at Lens as well as a fabulous second-place finish in Ligue 1.

“As we move into another European campaign off the back of our success in Leipzig, I know he will give everything to target more success for our fantastic Football Club.”

When could Sage make Crystal Palace managerial debut?

Sage has departed Lens with a respectable 67.5% win rate after just one season in charge, building on his previous tenure at Lyon where he secured 32 victories from 56 games over two years.

Several Crystal Palace fans will be encouraged by that record and the fact that Sage has history playing a three-at-the-back system that Glasner used throughout his tenure in South London.

Wing-backs Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell are among those who have thrived in this formation, and sticking with the same system will prevent the need for drastic changes in personnel to be made this summer.

It remains to be seen whether Sage will be able to persuade the likes of Adam Wharton and Jean-Philippe Mateta to stay at Selhurst Park, though, with the latter in particular still likely to seek pastures new after wanting to leave in January.

Born in Lons-le-Saunier, Sage could make his managerial debut for Crystal Palace in a pre-season friendly against Bromley at Hayes Lane on July 25, unless other fixtures are scheduled before that date.