Football has a funny way of breaking news. For Crystal Palace, the fact that there has been so much frustration wrapped up in the 2025/26 campaign, yet more title success may be on the cards, underlines that point.
On Thursday, the Eagles will look to defend their 3-0 lead over Fiorentina in the Conference League final, securing a comfortable result at Selhurst Park.
Oliver Glasner may leave the club at the end of the season, but he has the chance to create another moment of magic for the outfit at the top, and he does so after losing Marc Guehi to Manchester City in January and Eberechi Eze to Arsenal last summer.
However, it is Michael Olise who has left a huge hole in the squad, with the Bayern Munich star now hailed as “one of the best players in the world” by podcaster Henry Swain.
How Crystal Palace replaced Michael Olise
Olise left Crystal Palace for Bayern Munich in 2024, joining the German giants for £50m. He has indeed gone on to become a star, levels beyond the likes of Eze, who has the talent to portray as a winning player for the Gunners in south London.
Taking over the land of France would not be easy. He is a great player. However, Ismaila Sarr has gone from strength to strength in an Eagles shirt, and with 16 goals in 34 games, the Senegalese forward has taken up the role left vacant by Olise’s departure.
He may not be a natural born player, but Sarr certainly helped fill the Olise-shaped hole in Glasner’s team, which is very important.
However, it’s probably fair to argue that the 28-year-old’s ceiling is limited, and that the Eagles may need to look elsewhere for a poster boy capable of reaching the same heights as the Bayern winger.
|
Most Assists in a Season in Europe’s Top 5 Leagues (21st Century) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
The player |
The season |
It helps |
|
Thomas Müller (Bayern) |
19/20 |
21 |
|
Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) |
19/20 |
20 |
|
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) |
19/20 |
20 |
|
Thierry Henry (Arsenal) |
02/03 |
20 |
|
Thomas Müller (Bayern) |
20/21 |
19 |
|
Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) |
14/15 |
19 |
|
Zvjezdan Misimovic (Wolfsburg) |
09/10 |
19 |
|
Michael Olise (Bayern) |
25/26 |
18 |
Fortunately, Glasner may have found just such a player — and he’s not even a pitcher.
Crystal Palace midfielder could be the new Michael Olise
Crystal Palace are aiming for more silverware, and while Olise left before tasting title-winning success at Selhurst Park, Adam Wharton has been a mainstay throughout.
Wharton has played 86 games for the club since joining as a teenager from Blackburn Rovers. He hasn’t scored yet, but he has registered 12 assists, hailed as a “cheat code” in football by commentator and analyst Ben Mattinson. His ability is unique, unmatched by anyone else at Palace.
The 22-year-old is being courted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, and although he is gifted with athleticism and natural technical ability, he has also shown the ability to grow and develop, something Olise did with him after joining the Londoners from Reading back.
Take, for example, the improvement in Wharton’s creative numbers since joining the club. Although he has been a developing player, his accuracy and aim have seen improvement, now creating bigger chances on a regular basis.
|
Adam Wharton’s creation in the Premier League |
||
|---|---|---|
|
The season |
Great opportunities have been created |
Key passes per game |
|
25/26 |
11 |
1.1 |
|
24/25 |
5 |
1.3 |
|
23/24 |
5 |
1.3 |
He shares with Olise a natural playmaking ability, and although they are very different players, the Palace midfielder has the potential to become a global star, with recent transfer interest from Liverpool revealing that the England international is valued at £100m by his employers.
This underscores the hype behind Wharton’s name. He is an FA Cup and Community Shield champion. Adding to that cabinet with the Conference League title is also not out of the question, and that would mean Palace will secure entry to next year’s Europa League.
Whether Crystal Palace are able to retain Wharton’s services in the coming years remains to be seen, but with him in the starting 11, they will continue to thrive and will continue to challenge at a higher level than usual.
If he does leave, it will be for a hefty fee, surpassing the price paid by Bayern Munich to take Olise from Steve Parish’s books.
Glasner development: Crystal Palace to hold talks with “Pochettino clone”
Crystal Palace are preparing for the departure of Oliver Glasner at the end of the season.
