Oliver Glasner is ready to settle his Crystal Palace future this month with crunch contract talks set to ramp up.
Palace boss Glasner is out of contract at the end of the season and the club are keen for their history-making coach to extend his stay at Selhurst Park.
Glasner is closing in on two full years in charge at Palace and is widely regarded as their greatest ever manager after winning the FA Cup and the Community Shield – the first trophies in their 120-year existence.
However, talks over a new deal are currently stalled because of the club’s congested fixture schedule in their maiden European season, with Palace averaging a game every four days since October 18th 2025.
Glasner last held extensive contract talks with Palace chairman Steve Parish in October when the Austrian coach disclosed that he met Parish five times in one week to align on the club’s wider ambition.
Although contract talks have been on hold, dialogue between the pair has been frequent and they are understood to have a collaborative relationship.
Palace face Aston Villa on Wednesday before beginning their FA Cup defence away to National League North outfit Macclesfield on Saturday.
It is a week that marks their final three-game week until the middle of February, presenting a rare gap in their schedule to pencil in contract talks.
The Palace boss has kept his cards close to his chest, although the feeling around the club has pointed towards a departure at the end of the season.
But fresh optimism has emerged in recent weeks.
On New Year’s Day, Glasner notably shifted the blame for the club’s thin squad away from the board and onto himself – an indication that all is not lost.
Glasner expects negotiations to recommence as early as next week, with a resolution anticipated before their Conference League play-off in February.
“In the next weeks, we will intensify the talks,” said Glasner. “We go to Macclesfield on Friday, again we go up north, and then everyone gets three days off after Macclesfield.
“Then we have the time with four regular weeks. In those weeks, we will intensify the talks and I expect to find a final decision.
“There’s been speculation since I arrived. I remember at Frankfurt and Wolfsburg, I was asked questions and I said, 'my contract lasts longer than I'm already here, and you're already speculating'.
“I don't really care about it, because I can't affect whether there are rumours or speculations. That's why I don't want to respond to it, because I can sign today, or a player can sign a contract extension today, and leave in summer.
“Everybody has seen this, and that's why the length of a contract in these times doesn't say anything about your future. You don't have rumours for maybe two weeks, and then it starts all again.”
MORE PALACE NEWS
- Oliver Glasner concedes Crystal Palace are open to selling Marc Guehi to Man City
- Oliver Glasner explains decision to loan Romain Esse to Coventry City
Glasner has often criticised the Palace hierarchy for conduct in the transfer market, hitting out at the club for building short squads and regularly leaving their business until the end of the window.
Albeit the Eagles have shown signs of improvement this month, acting swiftly to sign Brennan Johnson from Tottenham Hotspur for a club-record fee.
Despite more incomings expected, Glasner is adamant that January activity will not influence his final decision on a new contract.
“No, no, believe me, nothing that happens in the transfer window, nothing, affects my decision, nothing. In both directions [incomings or outgoings].”
Glasner is among the frontrunners for the Manchester United job after head coach Ruben Amorim was sacked on Monday.
United are expected to wait until the end of the season before making a long-term managerial appointment.
When asked about being the bookmakers’ favourite to take over at Old Trafford next season, Glasner smartly replied: “I’m not allowed to bet, I don’t look at it. I also can’t give insider information.
“I’m Crystal Palace manager. It makes no sense and it’s a waste of time for you to ask me any more questions on it.
“You can sign a new contract. Managers in the Premier League did this last year, they aren’t the manager anymore.
“We can win trophies, you aren’t the manager there anymore. The length of a contract doesn’t mean anything.”
