- Pierre Sage holding ‘talks’ with Crystal Palace
- Lens coach could bring two players to Selhurst Park
- How the French manager might line up his team
Crystal Palace are reportedly holding talks to bring RC Lens manager Pierre Sage to Selhurst Park. Following Oliver Glasner’s departure, Sage is widely seen as the ideal replacement to rebuild an Eagles side that won the UEFA Conference League.
If the French tactician takes the reins, he will likely look to implement the dynamic, fluid system that brought success in France. Crucially, any manager arriving this summer will need to overhaul the squad’s spine.
Daichi Kamada’s future looks to lie away from Palace ahead of his contract expiring at the end of the month. The club are reportedly trying to convince him and Adam Wharton to stay.
With that said, Read Crystal Palace have delved into Sage’s playing philosophy and how his team might look come next season.
Crystal Palace XI under Pierre Sage
Assuming Sage deploys his favoured, flexible structural setups, often shifting between a 3-4-2-1 and a balanced 4-3-3, here is how a transformed Palace XI could look under his leadership.
Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson
Dean Henderson remains the undisputed number one between the sticks, but the real intrigue lies just ahead of him.
Defence: Ismaelo Ganiou, Maxence Lacroix, Jaydee Canvot
Sage has shown immense faith in youth, which could mean he brings 21-year-old Ismaelo Ganiou with him to Palace. The exciting young centre-back would likely slide straight into the right side of Palace’s central defensive unit.
Ganiou, dubbed “high quality”,, gives Sage the progressive, ball-playing defender the Premier League demands. Ranking in the 91st percentile for possession won and showcasing elite shooting and goal-scoring metrics for a defender, he offers a statistical profile incredibly similar to Nico Schlotterbeck.
Flanking Maxence Lacroix with Jaydee Canvot on the left of a back three, Ganiou’s recovery pace and aerial dominance allow Palace to maintain a high defensive line while offering a lethal threat on attacking set-pieces.
Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell would retain their roles as high-energy wing-backs, tasked with providing the width in possession. They could be vital for Sage and his hopes of implementing his brand of football.
Midfield: Adam Wharton and Mamadou Sangare
The most exciting transformation happens in the engine room. Wharton has proved he is ready to dictate the tempo, but he requires a powerhouse partner if Kamada departs. Enter 23-year-old Malian international Mamadou Sangare.
Valued at £43 million, Sangare has been somewhat of a revelation in France, boasting tackling statistics that ranked at the very top of Ligue 1 and among Europe’s top five leagues. But he isn’t just a destroyer; his effortless dribbling style and sharp vertical passing allow him to break lines with ease.
A Wharton-Sangare pairing balances elite technical retention with aggressive pressing, giving Sage the exact tactical control he prefers in transition phases. Palace have already shown interest in the Lens man earlier this year.
Attack: Ismaila Sarr, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Yeremy Pino
Further up the pitch, Sage’s system thrives on inverted creators who operate in the “half-spaces” (the areas between the opponent’s full-backs and central defenders). Ismaila Sarr and Yeremy Pino are perfectly suited to these demanding roles.
Rather than hugging the touchline, Sarr and Pino would be given the freedom to drift centrally, linking directly with Sangare and Wharton to gain control in the middle of the park. This creative freedom will be vital in feeding Jean-Philippe Mateta, who could yet stay at Selhurst Park after winning the UEFA Conference League.
Mateta would have the chance to play under a fellow countryman and help the Eagles soar even higher. He will have a year on his contract but there is a lack of interest from Champions League clubs.
