Crystal Palace and Fulham circle Ligue 1 manager-of-the-season

By Axel Clody | 25 May 2026 10:14

Crystal Palace and Fulham are both keeping tabs on Racing Club de Lens head coach Pierre Sage, according to reports, with the Frenchman having overseen one of the most remarkable seasons in recent Ligue 1 history.

Sage led Lens to second place in the French top flight, Champions League qualification and the club's first-ever Coupe de France title — a three-to-one victory over OGC Nice in the final — all without a squad stacked with big names.

Sage plays down exit talk — but does not rule it out

Speaking immediately after the Coupe de France triumph, Sage was asked to clarify his future and gave a carefully measured response.

"There is no reason for things to change, but I must admit there are a lot of contacts," he said. "I am under contract and I will try to honour it. I am very happy at this club. This is not the moment to talk about that."

The 47-year-old's words can be read in two ways. Optimists will note he expressed happiness at Lens and has a contract running until June 2028. More cautious observers will point out he stopped short of offering a cast-iron guarantee over his future, particularly significant given the level of outside interest he has now publicly acknowledged.

Crystal Palace and Fulham in the running

According to Sports Boom, Crystal Palace and Fulham are both monitoring Sage's situation. The two clubs are currently 15th and 13th respectively in the Premier League table going into the final round of fixtures, and both are expected to have sufficient financial resources to buy out the remaining years of his Lens contract should he choose to leave.

The most likely outcome, based on his post-final comments, is that Sage remains at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis for the 2026-27 season, and a first taste of Champions League football. Both English clubs will be watching closely, however, should the situation evolve.