Crystal Palace chairman breaks silence on call that left angry Oliver Glasner on verge of leaving

Crystal Palace chairman breaks silence on call that left angry Oliver Glasner on verge of leaving

Crystal Palace have sanctioned the sale of club captain Marc Guéhi to Manchester City, despite strong public opposition from manager Oliver Glasner over losing a key figure midway through the season.

Palace chairman Steve Parish has since suggested there was internal tension surrounding the decision, with Guéhi completing a £30million move to the Premier League champions on Monday.

The club opted to cash in on the England international in January rather than risk losing him for nothing when his contract expires this summer.

Guéhi had been close to joining Liverpool in a £35million deal on deadline day last summer, but Parish personally intervened to block the transfer due to Palace’s inability to secure a replacement — a move that reportedly caused friction with Glasner at the time.

This month, however, Palace reversed course, approving the 25-year-old defender’s departure despite his importance to the squad.

With his deal set to run out in June, the club ultimately chose to accept City’s offer rather than see their captain walk away on a free transfer.

Glasner has been openly critical of the decision, claiming he and his players had been left “completely abandoned” by the club’s hierarchy.

His comments, made following a 2-1 Premier League defeat to Sunderland, reportedly prompted Parish to consider whether the Austrian coach should remain in charge.

Glasner has already confirmed he intends to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.

In a club statement, Parish acknowledged the difficulty of the decision while paying tribute to Guéhi’s impact at Selhurst Park.

“There is never a good moment to say goodbye to a player of Marc’s quality and character, but we respect his ambition to compete at the highest level,” Parish said.

“He will always remain in our hearts, and although it is sad to see him go, he leaves with our very best wishes. Thank you, Marc.”

The transfer was confirmed just days after Glasner reiterated his frustration at losing his captain on the eve of a league fixture.

“The worst thing is selling our captain one day before a Premier League match,” Glasner said. “We are preparing properly for the first time in months, and then suddenly we lose our leader. I simply don’t understand the timing.”

He added: “I have stayed quiet for a long time, but I must defend these players. We are short of options, under pressure, and without support. That makes nights like this incredibly difficult.”