Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage has run the gamut of emotions following a chaotic summer transfer window that saw the club make a significant profit but miss out on several key targets. The Guardian Football reported Sage's reflections as his team sits 18th in the Premier League with zero points from two games, having scored just once while conceding six.
What happened in the transfer window?
Crystal Palace signed four new players this summer but their activity was defined by late drama and frustration. The club failed to secure a top-class replacement for defender Maxence Lacroix, who was sold to Chelsea in July. A deadline-day push for Lyon's Malick Fofana, driven personally by Sage, ended in disappointment despite a series of phone calls to the player.
Several other defensive targets slipped away. Attempts to sign Chrislain Matsima from Augsburg and Raphaël Le Guen from Brest came to nothing. A move for Lens's Ismaëlo Ganiou, a 21-year-old who excelled under Sage last season, was thwarted when the player signed a new contract in August. The deal for Club Brugge's Joel Ordóñez collapsed due to his broken foot injury.
Which players did Crystal Palace sign?
The arrivals included Axel Disasi on loan from Chelsea and teenager Honest Ahanor on loan. Dario Osorio joined from Midtjylland on an initial loan with a £26m obligation to buy next summer. Dwight McNeil arrived from Everton in a swap deal that saw Brennan Johnson move the other way, while Ben Chilwell returned to Selhurst Park and Quinten Timber bolstered the midfield. Evann Guessand also signed but was left out of the Europa League squad.
Crystal Palace's summer net spend was almost £40m in profit, the second lowest in the Premier League behind Aston Villa. This continues a pattern of modest investment; over the past five seasons, Championship sides Hull and Coventry have both outspent Palace's £90m total.
How does this affect the squad list?
Pierre Sage must now work with what he has as his team prepares for their next fixture against Ipswich at home on September 12th. He expressed a pragmatic view. "I'm not frustrated, we are not a bank. We do with what we have," Sage told The Guardian.
The manager also dealt with interest in his existing players. The club rejected bids for Adam Wharton, who attracted attention from Manchester City and Chelsea. Ismaïla Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta stayed despite interest from Liverpool and Aston Villa respectively, though Sarr's agent criticised the player's treatment during the Liverpool pursuit. Mateta is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury for another three weeks, while Sage expects Sarr to return from a groin issue for the Ipswich match. You can check the latest team news on our injuries page.
What is the context of this window?
Chaos on deadline day is nothing new for Crystal Palace. The club signed 10 players on the final day across the past three summer windows. Sage's predecessor, Oliver Glasner, was dissatisfied with having to wait until deadline day to sign players in his first summer at the club in 2024. Glasner has since moved to Nottingham Forest, taking defender Daniel Muñoz with him.
Sage acknowledged this inherited reality. "I knew that and I had to deal and adapt to that," he said. The club also broke its transfer record twice last January for Jørgen Strand Larsen and Brennan Johnson, showing a willingness to spend in specific markets. The current standings show Palace six points behind leaders Manchester City and in need of a turnaround, starting with that important home game against 12th-placed Ipswich.
