Oliver Glasner quickly got a new job after guiding Crystal Palace to the Conference League.
Oliver Glasner had already been offered a quick chance to get back into management after leaving Crystal Palace. He ended his time there on a high note by leading the Eagles to the Conference League title in his last game.
Glasner had announced earlier in the season that he would be leaving Palace, capping off an amazing two years full of memorable wins, including the FA Cup and Community Shield at Wembley.
But he gave Palace fans one more special moment when they played Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final in Leipzig on Wednesday. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal just five minutes into the second half, securing Palace’s first ever European trophy and a spot in next season’s Europa League — a perfect farewell for Glasner.
Considered one of Palace’s best managers ever, Glasner’s contract ends on June 30. However, the 51-year-old could quickly jump back into coaching. Journalist Nicolo Schira reports that Bayer Leverkusen have reached out to him.
Glasner is well respected in Germany because of his time with Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, where he won the Europa League in 2022.
Leverkusen had hired former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag last summer, but he was sacked after just three games. Kasper Hjulmand, previously Denmark’s manager, took over and helped the team finish sixth.
Even with the good turnaround, Hjulmand probably won’t stay on, and Leverkusen are searching for a new manager.
Fabrizio Romano says that Flamengo’s former boss Filipe Luis was a strong candidate, but he looks set to take the job at AS Monaco instead.
That opens the door for Glasner, who could lead a fresh start for a club whose 2023/24 title win under Xabi Alonso already feels like a long time ago.
Palace knew about Glasner’s departure for a while and have been looking for a new manager. Names like Thomas Frank, who managed Spurs and Brentford, and Coventry’s Frank Lampard, who led his team to promotion, have been mentioned.
However, Italian paper La Gazzetta dello Sport says Andoni Iraola will be the new Palace manager after turning down AC Milan’s offer.
With his family settled in England, Iraola wants to stay after guiding Bournemouth to their best-ever sixth place and Europa League qualification last season. He is not fully convinced by Milan’s project, who finished fifth in Serie A.
Like Glasner, Iraola will soon be a free agent after finishing his time at the Vitality Stadium.
The BBC reports that Iraola is Palace’s top choice, and they have given him a proposal with a deadline to respond by this weekend.
The Spanish coach, who has also managed AEK Larnaca and Vallecano before Bournemouth, is one of the most exciting managers around, known for his high-energy style that has fans worldwide.