Marc Guehi stays and £25m Man City gem arrives in dream Crystal Palace lineup - if rumours are true
Crystal Palace are preparing for their first ever European campaign
Crystal Palace supporters are coming to terms to the underwhelming reality that they must compete in the Conference League instead of the Europa League.
The Eagles lifted their first ever major trophy when they defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May and were expected to earn a place in Europe’s second most prestigious competition as a result of their achievement.
However, Palace have been demoted to the third-string tournament because of ownership rules. The decision is because of former Palace shareholder John Textor also owning a majority stake in French side Olympique Lyonnais, who qualified for the Europa League. Textor subsequently sold his shares in the Eagles but UEFA’s rules set a deadline of 1 March 2025 to show proof of multi-club ownership restructuring. Palace failed to do so.
At this stage, it looks likely that Palace chairman Steve Parish will appeal the ruling but at this stage the one thing that is clear is that the South London side will compete in Europe for the first time in their history.
To prepare for this the club have already brought in Borna Sosa from Ajax, Walter Benitez from PSV while they’ve so far been able to fend off interest for club captain Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze despite interest from Liverpool and Arsenal respectively. Oliver Glasner has a history of winning European competitions as he has proven with Frankfurt and there’s still a great opportunity ahead for the Austrian to establish the Eagles as a real strong Premier League side.
With that in mind, in what has been a difficult week for Palace fans, we take a look at their ideal XI for next season if they keep hold of all of their top assets and bolster what they already have.
Crystal Palace goalkeeper and defence
GK: Dean Henderson: England international Dean Henderson played a pivotal role in helping the team to victory at Wembley Stadium and is expected to have another big season in between the posts. He’ll have his eye on making the World Cup squad in North America and will hope for another strong showing after playing in all 38 league games last term.
CB: Marc Guehi (captain): Marc Guehi has been heavily linked with a move away from Crystal Palace for over 12 months now. Last summer, the England international was the subject of interest from Newcastle whereas in January a bid was turned down from Tottenham. This summer it appears Liverpool are leading the charge for his services, with Guehi entering the final year of his Selhurst Park contract.
However, Palace have proven in the past that they drive a hard bargain and will only sell their best assets if their valuation is met, suggesting Guehi could see out his contract or perhaps even sign an extension.
CB: Maxence Lacroix: The French defender slotted nicely into Crystal Palace’s backline last season and looked very comfortable in Oliver Glasner’s three-man centre back pairing. He made 56 interceptions over the course of last term, the sixth most in the league (Fbref), and is likely to be crucial again next term.
CB: Ousmane Diomande(signing): Crystal Palace are widely believed to be in talks to sign talented Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande this summer. The Ivory Coast international is believed to be valued at around £45m, meaning he could become the most expensive signing in Palace’s history if the move is successful.
LWB: Tyrick Mitchell: The Crystal Palace academy graduate enjoyed a strong individual campaign last season and could remain a key player next term as the club strives for European success.
RWB: Daniel Munoz: Arguably one of the best players in his position last term and a real standout performer in the cup final. Daniel Munoz signed a fresh Crystal Palace contract in April which takes him until the summer of 2028.
Crystal Palace midfield and attack
CM: Adam Wharton: The former Blackburn Rovers star’s return to action resulted in a huge upturn in fortunes in Crystal Palace’s season. The 21-year-old has the qualities to become one of the best defensive midfielders in the league and has a great chance of featuring for England at the World Cup next summer if he continues his current trajectory.
CM: James McAtee (signing): Manchester City prospect James McAtee is expected to be available for a figure of around £25m this summer after falling down the pecking order in Pep Guardiola’s team. He recent captained England Under-21s to European Championship glory and is considered a target for Crystal Palace, according to reports from Football Insider.
LW: Eberechi Eze: England international Eberechi Eze cemented his status as a Crystal Palace legend by netting the winner against Manchester City at Wembley. He’s been linked with moves to both Arsenal and Tottenham but is a player Palace fans would love to keep hold of.
ST: Jean Philippe Mateta: The Frenchman took the best part of three years to settle in England but has been a revelation under Oliver Glasner with 30 goals across the last two seasons. He’s likely to lead the line once again as Eddie Nketiah continues to try and get up to speed as the deputy striker.
RW: Ismaila Sarr: The Senegalese international won more fouls than any other player in the Premier League last term and made a huge impression in his debut campaign with eight goals and six assists. He’ll hope to continue his tremendous form into the new campaign.
Full Crystal Palace line-up: Henderson, Guehi, Lacroix, Diomande, Mitchell, Munoz, Wharton, McAtee, Eze, Mateta, Sarr