Palace's Cruel Winter: Guehi Departs as Glasner Confirms Summer Exit

Eight months after Oliver Glasner's Crystal Palace squad realised their childhood ambitions by lifting the FA Cup in May – the club's maiden major trophy – the Austrian manager delivered what can only be described as a masterclass in terrible timing at Friday's press conference ahead of the Sunderland fixture.

Being a Palace supporter has never been straightforward. That glorious May afternoon against Manchester City at Wembley, their finest hour, soured almost immediately. The Europa League berth they'd earned evaporated into the Conference League courtesy of the Premier League's bewildering multi-club ownership regulations, and then Eberechi Eze – the architect of their triumph – decamped to Arsenal.

Just when it seemed the curse of "we can't have nice things" might lift, Glasner has now confirmed that Marc Guehi's proposed Liverpool move won't materialise this month after all. Instead, the Palace captain will depart for Manchester City, becoming the third significant departure in 18 months following Olise and Eze. Adam Wharton may well be next.

"His move is at final stages," Glasner revealed on Friday. Within hours, reports confirmed City had tabled a bid around £20m, with Guehi ready to make the switch to the Etihad this month.

The logic is sound for all parties: City acquire a genuinely elite centre-back to sharpen their trophy credentials; Guehi gets the Champions League football he's earned and has accomplished everything possible in South London; Palace pocket £20m for a player they'd have received nothing for next summer. Fair enough.

The rub? That £20m must now be spent on a replacement, and finding a centre-back remotely approaching Guehi's calibre within a fortnight's window looks nigh impossible. Palace have already tumbled from fourth to 13th since December's outset and suffered the indignity of losing to Macclesfield in last weekend's FA Cup – arguably the greatest upset in the competition's history.

Yet the immediate crisis pales beside the bombshell Glasner also unveiled: he's departing at season's end.

"A decision has already been taken, months ago," he explained. "I had a meeting with Steve [Parish, chairman] in October, the international break. We had a very long talk, and I told him I will not sign a new contract. We agreed at the time it was the best to keep it between us. It's the best that we could do that and keep it confidential for three months.

"But now it's important to have clarity, and we had a very busy schedule so that's why we didn't want to talk about it. Steve and I want the best for Crystal Palace. I told Steve [that] I'm looking for a new challenge.

"It's my feeling after everything. I told him in October it's nothing to do with the transfer window. I hate if something is written that is not true it's tough for me to respond. We have a great relationship and always talking what's best for Palace."

Glasner's name has been circulating among England's elite clubs, not least Manchester United, where Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS lieutenants are hunting a permanent successor to interim boss Michael Carrick.

For the Palace faithful, this represents the ultimate indignity: not merely losing their captain and best player on the same day their manager announces his exit, but having both bombshells delivered simultaneously. If the previous three months seemed the wrong moment to reveal his departure plans, surely announcing it alongside Guehi's exit was even more tone-deaf.

Palace fans have earned the right to feel world-weary. They're permitted only one nice thing at a time – and right now, that's locked safely in the trophy cabinet.