Who is CRYSTAL PALACE'S new manager?

Crystal Palace has reached an agreement in principle to hire Pierre Sage, the manager who recently finished second in Ligue 1 with Lens. He is signed to a two-year deal to replace the outgoing Oliver Glasner.

Why is Oliver Glasner leaving Crystal Palace?

Oliver Glasner is departing Crystal Palace to join an Italian club in Milan. Reports suggest that during his initial meetings with his new team, he requested to sign Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta.

What is the status of Jean-Philippe Mateta at Crystal Palace?

Jean-Philippe Mateta currently carries a price tag in excess of €30 million. His future is a point of contention among fans, especially following reports that former manager Oliver Glasner requested to sign him for his new club.

Who is Liverpool's managerial target?

Liverpool has chosen to double down on Andoni Iraola as their manager. The club is reportedly exploring significant squad investments, including a potential £100 million pursuit for an unnamed midfielder.

What is happening with Harvey Elliott at Liverpool?

Following a difficult loan spell at Aston Villa, Harvey Elliott is being given a potential lifeline by Liverpool's new management regime. Fans are divided on whether this will lead to a breakthrough or if he will be sold for a minor fee.

Palace grabbing Pierre Sage is the weirdest move of the summer

The South London managerial merry-go-round just hit full speed

If you thought the World Cup looming tomorrow meant the transfer madness would hit pause, you are dead wrong. Crystal Palace have decided that the best way to spend the week before kickoff is to finalize the appointment of Pierre Sage, the Lens manager who just finished second in Ligue 1. Talk about a glow-up for the Selhurst Park office.

The news broke late yesterday that Palace have an agreement in principle for the Frenchman on a two-year deal. It is a massive move considering The Guardian reported that Oliver Glasner is already packing his bags for a move to Milan. Apparently, Glasner actually asked for Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta in his first meetings with the Italian giants, which sounds like the ultimate backhanded goodbye kiss to his current employers.

The consensus across the message boards is predictably frantic. Half the fan base is looking at the €30m+ price tag attached to Mateta and wondering if they should start a GoFundMe to keep him in the borough, while the other half is trying to figure out if Sage can actually handle a rainy Tuesday night in south London after managing in France.

The Sage skepticism and the Liverpool connection

Here is where things get really spicy. The fact that Liverpool had a look at Sage before they doubled down on Andoni Iraola makes some supporters feel nervous. Why did the big boys pass? Was he the backup plan, or is he actually the tactical genius he looks like? One user on a popular forum hit the nail on the head: "If he took Lens to second in Ligue 1 and won the Coupe de France, why are we acting like he's a gamble? The gamble is Palace's board actually letting him finish a full season without hitting the panic button."

Then you have the Iraola-Liverpool threads, which are their own brand of insanity. Iraola is clearly trying to burn the house down at Bournemouth to rebuild Anfield in his image. The rumors of a £100m pursuit for an unnamed midfielder are making the rounds, and the comments sections are basically digital gladiator pits. Some fans are drooling over the prospect of a massive spend, while others are rightfully pointing out that Liverpool's previous big-money experiments have typically gone about as well as a screen door on a submarine.

Then there is the Harvey Elliott situation. After an absolute nightmare of a loan spell at Aston Villa, the kid is being handed a lifeline by the new regime. It is the kind of narrative fluff that usually precedes a player being sold to a mid-table side for a minor fee, though fans seem desperate to believe this is his breakthrough moment. One comment in a thread from earlier this morning summed it up perfectly: "If Iraola can turn Elliott into a consistent mid-field engine after that Villa disaster, he's a better coach than anyone gives him credit for. If he can't, he's just another guy buying his friends from his old job."

Which argument holds water?

Look, the hype around Sage is interesting, but I lean toward the skeptics. Palace is a meat grinder for managers. Getting a guy fresh off a Coupe de France win to deal with the unique personality of the Selhurst squad is a massive ask. The club agreeing to a deal in principle feels like they rushed it just to ensure Glasner could jet off to Italy without the sporting director looking like a chump. Watch this space, because if they lose Mateta for just thirty-odd million, this summer will be remembered as a total disaster.

As for the Liverpool circus, the anti-Iraola faction wins on logic. Wanting a reunion with his former players is a classic "new manager starter pack" move, but it reeks of safety. Iraola needs to show he can coach talent he didn't hand-pick. Relying on an £100m check to fix a problem he couldn't solve tactically is the coward's way out. I will believe in the Liverpool revolution when I see a coherent midfield lineup that doesn't include four different players trying to learn a new system in the 90th minute of a game they are already losing.

We are looking at a messy summer. The World Cup might bring some joy, but for the folks glued to the transfer trackers, the stress is just getting started. If you thought we were in for a quiet June, you clearly haven't spent enough time in the trenches of football Twitter. Grab a drink, because we are in for a long, painful, and probably hilarious season of rumors.