Crystal Palace Pursues Pierre Sage as Iraola Talks Stall

Crystal Palace’s search for a new head coach has taken a sharp turn towards France, with Lens boss Pierre Sage expected to hold talks with the club early this week as they move on from first-choice target Andoni Iraola.

Palace had pushed hard for Iraola, only to see their plans unravel just as they seemed close. The Spaniard is now set to begin formal discussions with Liverpool in the coming days as the Merseyside club look to replace Arne Slot, who was sacked on Saturday.

Palace had made what is described as a firm proposal to Iraola on the back of his work at Bournemouth and his growing reputation in the Premier League. The Europa Conference League winners believed they were well placed, but the pull of Liverpool has shifted the landscape and forced a rethink in south London.

That rethink has brought Sage to the forefront. The 47-year-old has been building momentum at Lens and is increasingly viewed as one of Europe’s most promising coaches. He is understood to be open to the idea of moving to the Premier League, and is expected to meet Palace officials in the coming days.

BBC Sport first revealed Palace’s interest in Sage on 8 May, though at that stage the club’s hierarchy, led by chairman Steve Parish, remained locked on Iraola as their preferred option.

With that route now closing, Palace have widened the field and are assessing a number of alternatives.

Parish and the board are determined not to be bounced into a rushed appointment in the wake of Oliver Glasner’s departure. The club want a coach who can build on recent progress, work within their established recruitment structure and handle the demands of the Premier League.

Sage now has the chance to make his case face to face. Whether he becomes the next man in the Selhurst Park dugout will depend on those talks — and on how bold Palace are prepared to be in backing a rising name over a more familiar one.