Six top class signings Crystal Palace can make this summer

Crystal Palace are gearing up for a summer of transition ahead of Pierre Sage’s arrival

Crystal Palace have an intriguing summer lying ahead of them: Oliver Glasner has now gone, and it looks certain that RC Lens boss Pierre Sage will be coming in as his replacement. The 47-year-old led his club to an impressive second-place finish in Ligue 1 last season, and managed to scoop the Coupe de France after beating OGC Nice in the final.

While he’ll miss out on the Champions League football he earned in France, Sage will still have Europa League football with Crystal Palace, following the Eagles’ stellar Europa Conference League campaign that saw them defeat La Liga side Rayo Vallecano in last month’s final. More European football should also mean the club can continue to attract quality signings.

Palace’s recruitment was a bit of a mixed bag last season: there were real success stories in the signings of Yeremy Pino from Villarreal - a player linked with a host of elite clubs before Palace snapped him up - and Jaydee Canvot from Toulouse in particular, while the likes of Borna Sosa from Ajax and £35m Brennan Johnson from Spurs would have to go down as flops.

It will be fascinating to see who arrives at Selhurt Park over the next few weeks, as a new reign begins under Sage. He could well look to bring some of his hidden gems across from Lens, or look to target some more established talent from the Premier League. Ahead of the transfer window opening next week, we’ve taken a look at six signings Crystal Palace could make this summer.

Six top class signings Crystal Palace could make this summer: Esteve to Bisseck

Maxime Esteve - Burnley: As many predicted, Burnley went straight back down to the Championship the year after going up for the third time on the trot, and are showing worrying signs of becoming a ‘yo-yo club’ after years of Premier League stability under former manager Sean Dyche. Esteve looked a class above most of their squad last season, and now looks set to leave.

Recent reports from France suggest that Palace are keen on signing the powerhouse defender this summer, but they could face competition from Liverpool and Chelsea. There’s no suggestion of how much the Clarets will demand for the 24-year-old, but it’s likely to be significantly more than the £10m they paid to sign him back in 2024.

Hayden Hackney - Middlesbrough: The Teesiders’ failure to get promoted was good news for those admiring Hackney, who continues to attract interest from a host of Premier League clubs. With his side condemned to another season in the second tier, the ex-England U21 international is expected to move on once the transfer window opens.

Everton had been seen as firm front-runners to sign the 23-year-old gem for some time, but recent rumours suggest they’re stalling over paying the extra £5m required to reach Boro’s £30m asking price. Amid this hesitance, it’s been suggested the Palace could capitalise and move in with a daring transfer hijack. With Adam Wharton potentially leaving, that could be a smart idea.

Yann Bisseck - Inter: A seriously underrated Serie A gem, signing Bisseck would be a real coup for the Eagles. Palace were linked with the Germany international last summer and were even said to have made a bid, but a move never materialised. However, the Selhurst Park side still appear to hold an interest in the Serie A star, with reports last month suggesting Palace are ready to make their move again.

He wouldn’t come cheap - a fee would likely need to be in the £35m ballpark - but would certainly add some real quality to the Eagles’ back line. The 25-year-old has had an eclectic career so far, beginning in Germany with FC Koln, before going on loan to the Netherlands and Portugal, then ending up in Denmark with AGC, and finally moving to Inter in 2023.

Six top class signings Crystal Palace could make this summer: Ganiou to Labine

Ismaelo Ganiou - RC Lens: It’s always enjoyable when a manager brings one of their favourite former players to their new club, and that’s exactly what could happen with Sage, amid reports he’s keen to drag Ganiou on the private jet over the Channel with him. The 21-year-old defender played a pivotal role in Lens’ stellar 2025/26 campaign, and is widely regarded as an emerging young star.

It’s worth noting that Spurs have also been linked with the Burkino Faso international, and could provide stiff competition for his signature during what’s set to be a serious rebuild under Roberto De Zerbi this summer. With his current manager heading to Palace and Europa League football up for grabs, however, a move to south London may well be his preferred choice.

Pape Moussa Fall - Metz: The towering forward stands at over two metres tall, and is said to be attracting some serious Premier League interest after an impressive season on loan in the Belgian top tier with RAAL La Louviere. He could be available for just £5m, which is said to have captured the attention of both the Eagles and West Ham United.

He netted 11 goals last season and looks to be acquiring a growing list of admirers, with Belgian giants Anderlecht and Turkish team Samsunspor also believed to be monitoring the Senegalese striker. Given Sage’s fondness for a system that sees crosses whipped in towards a target man, Moussa Fall could be a decent, albeit rather left-field addition.

Matthis Abline - Nantes: Abline’s club fended off plenty of interest for their top striker last summer, but following their relegation to Ligue 2, they’re unlikely to keep hold of him for another season. Wolves were among the favourites to sign him a year ago, but aren’t likely to stand a chance of signing him following their own drop into the second tier.

Palace, along with Roma and Paris FC, are said to be particularly taken with the 23-year-old, as are AS Monaco, who were rumoured to have had a bid in the region of £13m knocked back. When you take into account the fact that the striker has never hit double figures for league goals in a season, the amount of interest does seem a tad high.