Next Crystal Palace manager: Pierre Sage ‘agreement reached’ as contract details are revealed

Crystal Palace are reportedly closing in on the appointment of Pierre Sage as their new head coach.

The Eagles have been on the lookout for a new boss ever since Oliver Glasner announced in January that he would be leaving the club at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Glasner signed off in style by guiding Palace to continental glory, securing a slender 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final at the end of May.

The South London club have since been linked with a host of potential managerial candidates, including Andoni Iraola who recently swapped Bournemouth for Liverpool.

Coventry City’s Frank Lampard, Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna and former Everton boss Sean Dyche have also been on Palace’s radar, but Sage recently emerged as the leading option to succeed Glasner following a positive round of talks.

Sage on verge of becoming new Crystal Palace head coach

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Palace have agreed a deal in principle to appoint Lens boss Sage on a three-year deal until June 2029, which includes a one-year extension option.

A separate report from Sky Sports News claims that Palace and Lens are close to agreeing a compensation package to allow the 47-year-old to complete his move to the Premier League.

Sage took over as Lens head coach in June last year and successfully steered the club to an impressive second-place finish in Ligue 1, accumulating 70 points from 34 matches (W22 D4 L8).

Les Sang et Or also beat Nice 3-1 in the Coupe de France final, winning the competition for the first time in their 120-year history.

Sage is set to depart Lens with a respectable 67.5% win rate, building on his previous tenure at Lyon where he secured 32 victories from 56 matches over two years.

The similarities between Glasner and Crystal Palace-bound Sage

Several Crystal Palace supporters are pleased by the club’s pursuit of Sage, who has history playing a three-at-the-back system that Glasner used throughout his Selhurst Park tenure.

Sticking with this formation prevents the need for drastic changes in personnel to be made, while is also bodes well for the likes of Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell who thrived under Glasner as attack-minded wing-backs.

Some will argue that there is an element of risk in appointing a manager without Premier League experience, but Glasner had never managed in English football before establishing himself as a top coach with the Eagles.

Palace are set to replace one trophy-winning coach with another, and Sage will hope that the club can keep hold of as many star players as possible, including the likes of Ismaila Sarr and Adam Wharton, as they prepare for life in the Europa League next season.