Now, everyone knows that it’s dangerous to get too carried away with the events of pre-season. But try reminding Crystal Palace supporters of that.
Oliver Glasner’s side appear to be maintaining the remarkable standards they set during the final few weeks of 2023/24. Racking up the goals and the wins at a pretty scintillating rate.
A 6-3 victory over Crawley Town was a mixed bag – if an exciting one – but consecutive 3-1 victories over Premier League rivals Wolves and West Ham United in the USA have raised expectations ahead of Glasner’s first full season in the Selhurst Park dugout.
Jordan Ayew and Jeffrey Schlupp appear to be conducting their very own ‘Goal of the Summer’ battle, while Odsonne Edouard looks sharper than he has done for a while. Glasner has been full of praise, too, about Palace’s next generation including 18-year-old Asher Agbinone.
New recruit Daichi Kamada has also looked razor sharp.
A man who won the Europa League under Glasner at Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 rediscovering the swagger, the confidence and the goalscoring instincts he appeared to lose at Lazio.
Crystal Palace linked with Glasner fave Maxence Lacroix
Kamada, meanwhile, might yet be joined at Crystal Palace by another Glasner favourite before the window closes. L’Equipe report that Maxence Lacroix – who excelled under the Austrian at VFL Wolfsburg – is a target.
Palace have reportedly moved into pole position too. They have opened talks while submitting an offer.
While Kamada’s eye for goal and vision should help offset the loss of Michael Olise to Bayern Munich, concerns over the potential departure of Marc Guehi to Newcastle United may be arrested by the arrival of a man who blossomed into one of the Bundesliga’s finest young defensive talents alongside Roy Hodgson’s South London successor.
Lacroix’s Wolfsburg contract expired in 2025. As such, if Wolfsburg do not sell this month, they will most certainly lose the rangy Frenchman for a fraction of his £25 million price-tag, per the Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung.
He could even leave for free, a year from now.
“You have to consider all scenarios. Without wanting to blame anyone, it is never ideal when a player is entering the last year of his contract,” new managing director Peter Christiansen tells Kicker. “But that is the situation.
“We are talking to Maxence. We would like to keep him. But the player and those around him also have their thoughts and ideas. And then, we will see what happens.
“We can show the players where we want to go with the club.”
Wolfsburg may have to sell £25m defender
20-year-old Lacroix would not be a like-for-like Guehi replacement, HITC understanding that Newcastle are pushing for the £70 million-rated England international.
He is more comfortable on the right in contrast to the left-sided Guehi. Palace, however, do already have a new left-sided centre-half through the door in former Real Betis and Barcelona man Chadi Riad.
Speaking to the Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung, Lacroix confirmed that he had been in touch with Glasner towards the end of last term.
“We spoke on the phone,” Lacroix explained a few months back. “That was after the game between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace (which The Eagles won 1-0 at Anfield).
“After the season, we can talk (about whether I stay or go).”
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