Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is no longer one of the top candidates to replace Ruben Amorim as Manchester United’s permanent manager. The Austrian will be available this summer after he leaves the Eagles in June.
Glasner’s contract is expiring at the end of the season, and he revealed in January that he doesn’t intend to sign an extension. His comments came amid a worrying period for Palace, winning just one of 15 games across competitions.
A 1-1 draw against Bosnian minnows Zrinjski Mostar forced the board to hold talks over Glasner’s short-term future. Discussions over parting ways before his deal is up took place for a second time in as many months.
This resulted in the same outcome, with Palace prepared to stick by Glasner for the rest of the campaign. Tomorrow, he takes his Eagles to Old Trafford, where he is reportedly no longer a potential Amorim replacement.
Glasner not a Man United option
The Red Devils’ shortlist of Amorim replacements included Glasner in early January. His reputation was that of a winner, guiding Palace to FA Cup glory last season and previously winning the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt.
The South Londoners’ poor start to 2026 seemingly put INEOS off. Reputable journalist Andy Mitten has told The United Stand that Glasner is “absolutely not” someone he’s heard mentioned in conversations among United’s higher-ups.
Glasner looked headed for the sack after questioning the club’s ambition and calling out the owners following the sale of Marc Guehi to Manchester City. He continuously indicated that he didn’t know if he’d last the season.
Palace turned a corner this week amid a 1-0 win over Wolves and a 2-0 (3-1 aggregate) victory over Zrinjski. These came following chants from fans for Glasner to be dismissed.
It appears that Glasner’s job is safe and that he will be able to try to end his reign by delivering the club’s first European trophy. He will first want to remind United why he should still be in the running for the Old Trafford hotseat.
Why Parish is sticking with Glasner
Glasner has been feeling the heat as of late, especially from fans. Their frustrations don’t just boil down to the team’s poor results and performances, but also his behaviour.
BBC Sport‘s Sami Mokbel has explained why Palace chairman Steve Parish has ignored the noise and continued to keep Glasner in charge:
“Parish has resisted the urge to act on impulse. Instead, his approach to, at least external uncertainty over head coach Oliver Glasner’s future, has been measured… In many ways, the easiest decision for Parish was to sack Glasner, who has already disclosed he is leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.”
He added:
“The lack of a clear candidate to replace Glasner on a short-term basis would likely have been considered in recent weeks. The managerial landscape will change drastically in the summer.”
Mokbel suggested that Palace will be looking at the likes of Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva as possible replacements. Thomas Frank, Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche are also candidates to take over in the summer.
As for the relationship between Glasner and the club’s hierarchy, it is described as “positive” and “not as unfavourable as some would assume.” This is a surprise, given some of the comments the Austrian has made about their vision for the club.
