‘Heart Torn Out’—Oliver Glasner Attacks Crystal Palace Over Marc Guehi Transfer

The Eagles will sell their captain to Manchester City for an initial £20 million this month.

Oliver Glasner could hide his frustration no longer. | Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images

Oliver Glasner has accused the Crystal Palace hierarchy of “abandoning” him and the team after agreeing to sell captain Marc Guéhi the day before facing Sunderland this weekend.

It appeared to be the final straw for Glasner, who also referenced the summer sale of Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, following the 2–1 defeat. The manager, heavily linked with Manchester United, had earlier said on Friday that he will not be renewing his contract when it expires in June.

Guéhi did not feature in the game and is set to join Manchester City for an initial £20 million ($26.8 million) in the coming days. Alongside Eze, the England international was a pillar of Palace’s success last season, which delivered a historic FA Cup triumph and European qualification.

Eze joined Arsenal in August for £67.5 million. The Gunners triggered a release clause in the player’s contract, which forced Palace’s hand. But Glasner was critical of his club at the time because it was known for a while what Arsenal’s intentions were and he felt not enough was done to prepare.

Guéhi was very nearly sold to Liverpool on summer Deadline Day, until the Eagles pulled the plug when it became clear they wouldn’t be able to recruit a replacement in time.

But selling Guéhi and not actively recruiting is not sitting well with a frustrated Glasner, who says he “can’t help” the players out on the pitch because the squad lacks bodies.

“I feel we are being abandoned completely,” the Austrian told BBC Match of the Day.

“I can’t blame any player [for the defeat against Sunderland]. They did everything they could and this has been going on for weeks and months. We have 12, 13 players from the squad available and we feel no support. The worst thing is selling our captain one day before playing a Premier League game.

"We are preparing, it's the first [full] week we are training since September, and then we are selling our captain one day before a game. I have no understanding of this.”

Glasner said he could no longer “keep my mouth [shut]” because has to “defend” his existing players after playing 35 games already this season.

If you get your heart torn out twice this season, one day before a game, it was with Eze in the summer, it was with Guehi now ...” he continued. “What should I tell the players all the time?”

Glasner denied he has any intention of leaving Palace sooner than the summer, insisting he has “so much respect” for his squad and owes it to them to see out the campaign. But fans now have serious doubts as to whether the club will allow him to continue.

I just don’t see a scenario where Glasner will still be in charge next time we play. It’s over. It has to be.

— HLTCO (@HLTCO) January 17, 2026

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Marc Guéhi Desperately Needed by Man City

Manchester City’s defeat to Manchester United in Saturday’s early Premier League kick off highlighted exactly why Pep Guardiola’s side are so desperate for Guéhi to join.

Other suitors like Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid were believed to waiting for the former Chelsea academy graduate to become available as a free agent in the summer. But City have moved quicker, waiving the opportunity for a free transfer to get him through the door immediately.

Guardiola was without Rúben Dias, Joško Gvardiol and John Stones because of injury at Old Trafford. Max Alleyne, recently recalled from a loan spell at Watford started in central defence alongside Abdukodir Khusanov, the senior man at the age of just 21. Alleyne was withdrawn at half-time, with Nathan Aké, who needs managed minutes to preserve his fitness, shuffling across from left back.

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