Qudus SalihuCrystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has been left “deeply rocked” following reports that both Ismaïla Sarr and club captain Marc Guéhi are simultaneously exploring their options away from Selhurst Park. The double blow comes just days into a January window that was supposed to be about reinforcement, but has instead turned into a desperate fight to keep the “fabric of the team” from unraveling.
The shock departure of the club’s Head of Recruitment earlier this week has left a vacuum in leadership, which sources say has unsettled several first-team stars. While Guéhi’s situation has been a long-running saga—with Manchester City and Liverpool reportedly ready to pounce on his expiring contract for a cut-price £35 million—it is the news regarding Sarr that has caught Glasner by surprise.
Sarr, currently away on international duty with Senegal for AFCON, has reportedly instructed his representatives to “test the market” following the team’s historic and humiliating FA Cup exit to Macclesfield Town. Despite being a key figure in Glasner’s tactical system, the 27-year-old is said to be “disillusioned” by the club’s lack of activity in the transfer market and the sudden exit of the recruitment staff who brought him to the club.
The “nightmare scenario” for Glasner is the loss of his most reliable defensive leader and his most explosive attacking outlet at the same time. “Oliver is furious,” a source close to the manager revealed. “He was told that Guéhi would only leave if a massive replacement was secured, but now both he and Sarr are looking at the exit door. It feels like the wheels are coming off at the worst possible moment.”
With Brennan Johnson already arriving in a £35 million deal to provide cover, the board is under immense pressure to prevent a mass exodus. The fans, still reeling from the Macclesfield disaster, have taken to social media to vent their outrage, with many “calling out” the board for allowing two of their biggest assets to become unsettled.
As Palace begins its search for a new recruitment chief, the priority has shifted from buying new talent to convincing Sarr and Guéhi that the “project” at Selhurst Park is still worth their commitment. If Glasner fails to steady the ship, the Eagles face a defining month that could see their season spiral from a top-half push into a battle for stability.
Rabiu Aminu
Qudus Salihu
