Crystal Palace Manager Oliver Glasner Unfazed by Manchester United Speculation
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has downplayed speculation linking him to the vacant Manchester United job, stating that he is focused solely on his current role at Selhurst Park. Glasner, who guided the Eagles to FA Cup success last season, is among the front-runners to take over at Old Trafford following Ruben Amorim’s departure on Monday morning.
Glasner’s contract at Crystal Palace is set to expire, and he has yet to agree to an extension. However, he remains committed to the club and is not distracted by rumors of a potential move to Manchester United. “In my contract, there is one paragraph that I am not allowed to bet, and I don’t look at it,” Glasner said in a news conference on Tuesday. “I am Crystal Palace manager, and I just think it makes no sense, and is also wasted time for you to ask me any more questions, so I don’t talk about any other club than Crystal Palace.”
Glasner emphasized that his priority is to ensure the success of Crystal Palace, and he will not be swayed by speculation about his future. “You can sign a new contract, like managers did in the Premier League this year, and they aren’t the manager there anymore,” he said. “Even if I sign a new contract, you could ask me every day, ‘What is the future?’ There is one situation which keeps you in your job when you are a manager — and this is being successful. It is the only thing to survive in this job.”
Marc Guéhi’s Potential Move to Manchester City
Captain Marc Guéhi’s future at Crystal Palace is also uncertain, with Manchester City reportedly interested in signing the defender. Guéhi is out of contract at the end of the season, and Palace may be willing to sell him if the right offer is made. “If a player feels too good for a club, it is better to sell him, and if a player is not good enough for a club, you also have to sell him,” Glasner said. “To get the best out of your squad, it must be a match.”
Glasner acknowledged that Manchester City’s interest in Guéhi is genuine and that a deal could be possible if the price is right. “It could be,” he said when asked about the potential transfer. “I’m not so naive as not to know that if a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.” According to BBC Sport, Manchester City are short of center-backs due to injuries to Rúben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, which may prompt them to make a move for Guéhi in January.
Glasner used an analogy to explain the situation, saying, “Let’s say you have a nice car but you need money because it’s cold and a window [at home] is broken, and somebody offers you crazy money for your car. You say, ‘No, I don’t want to sell my car. I love my car. But I don’t want to freeze.’ Then you say, ‘If I can get the window and even a new roof, you can have the car. But I would like to keep it.’ It’s the same with Marc. Everybody wants him to play for Crystal Palace, sign a new contract and stay here forever.”
Crystal Palace will host Aston Villa on Wednesday night, seeking their first win in five league games. Nathaniel Clyne will miss the match due to a minor abductor injury, while Jefferson Lerma is unavailable due to concussion protocol. Defender Chris Richards is expected to return to the squad. As reported by The Guardian, Palace will look to bounce back from their defeat at Newcastle and climb up the Premier League table.
