- Pierre Sage confirmed as Crystal Palace’s manager
- The club set to back Sage with four new signings
- Four players the Eagles must bring in
Crystal Palace confirmed the appointment of Pierre Sage as head coach and reports suggest the Eagles have decided how to strengthen the squad and are plotting four signings to back Sage.
The appointment was officially confirmed by Palace yesterday, 15 June, after speculation for the last month. Sage has moved to South London on a three-year deal, and the club has already set their sights on securing four new signings to back the coach before the new season.
The Eagles are hoping for a RWB, CB, two CMs and an AM this summer. Here’s four players Palace should sign to support Sage ahead of the next campaign:
1 – Hayden Hackney from Middlesborough
One signing Palace may need to push hard for is Middlesborough’s Hayden Hackney, a central midfielder who has been long linked with a potential move to South London.
After narrowly missing out on promotion to the Premier League in the play off final, Hackney is hoping to make the step up into the top flight after winning Championship Player of the Season last year.
The 23-year-old primarily plays the defensive midfielder role, an area Palace are aware they need to bolster before next season with the future of Adam Wharton and Jefferson Lerma uncertain.
With Palace’s history of converting Championship players into stars, Hackney could be one to watch in the future if he makes the move to South London. Palace are keen however Everton have been leading the race, with Middlesbrough demanding around £20m for their key midfielder.
2 – Ismaelo Ganiou from RC Lens
With an extremely successful campaign at RC Lens last season, Sage may be hoping to bring key players with him to Selhurst Park. One of those players who could be moving is Ismaelo Ganiou who played 29 games last season and scored 3 goals in the centre-back role.
Bringing in Ganiou would help Palace bolster the centre-back position and add essential depth that is needed for the Premier League, Europa League and other competitions next season. The experience of playing under Sage could help the French Youth International with a smooth transition to the Premier League.
While Jaydee Canvot outperformed expectations this season and Chadi Riad made a strong recovery from injury, bringing in an extra option would be beneficial for the club, especially with Maxence Lacroix considering alternative options. At just 21-years-old Ganiou could be an option for developing for the future alongside Canvot.
Palace have expressed interest in the young defender before the appointment of Sage was confirmed. Lens is demanding around €35m for him.
3 – Arnau Martínez from Girona
Palace are hoping to add support in the right wing-back position, especially with speculation arising throughout last season around a potential departure from Daniel Munoz.
One candidate that could fill the role, and is flexible to play other defensive roles, is Arnau Martínez. The 23-year-old Spanish player is preparing to leave Girona this summer and has been admired by other Premier League sides.
Martínez has a €8m release clause in his contract which could make him a cheap investment for Palace, especially as it comes under market value. Last season in the LaLiga he appeared in 35 matches scoring twice with three assists.
4 – Evan Guessand from Aston Villa
With Evan Guessand’s loan from Aston Villa to South London expiring at the end of this month, Palace should be pushing to secure the Ivory Coast forward for next season.
Guessand’s time at Palace showed signs of a great future, despite a knee injury which kept him sidelined for nine matches. He scored twice for the Eagles, including the one goal in the critical 1-0 win over Wolves in February which helped Palace secure safety in the League.
Having already played in the Premier League, and become the first player to secure a Europa and Conference League medal in the same season, Guessand brings versatility and experience critical for next seasons campaign.
The 24-year-old appeared to have settled into Palace, and could be in favour of a permanent move. However the Eagles missed out on their exclusive option to buy time period within the contract and could face competition.
