Crystal Palace are fewer than two weeks away from the start of their 2026/27 Premier League campaign, and the picture taking shape at Selhurst Park is one of uncertainty. The reigning Europa Conference League champions head into the new season without a proven defensive leader, a new head coach yet to test himself in England's top flight, and a squad overhaul that raises more questions than it answers.

A managerial gamble

Oliver Glasner's exit leaves a significant gap. Whatever tensions existed between him and certain supporters, his pedigree as a top-level head coach is beyond dispute — and replacing a manager of that calibre is never straightforward. His successor, Pierre Sage, arrives on the back of a remarkable Ligue 1 title challenge with RC Lens, which speaks to his ability. But transporting that momentum into the Premier League is an entirely different proposition.

Sideways moves in attack

In the wide attacking areas, the swap deal that brought Dwight McNeil to South London in exchange for Brennan Johnson is difficult to frame as genuine progress. Both are capable Premier League wingers, but neither has shown the consistency to transform a club's attacking output. The move carries the hallmarks of a lateral step rather than an ambitious leap, and Palace's attack needs more than that if they are to threaten the upper reaches of the table.

Zavier Gozo, an 18-year-old signed from Major League Soccer, is an interesting long-term prospect who fits Crystal Palace's established model of uncovering high-potential young talent. Yet he cannot be expected to shoulder a significant attacking responsibility in the Premier League at this stage of his development.

Questions at the back

Defensively, the departure of Maxence Lacroix — who joined Chelsea — is the most pressing concern. Crystal Palace have moved to address the void by signing Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oscar Mingueza on free transfers. Tomiyasu is an intelligent, technical defender, but his injury history makes it a risk to build around him as a first-choice starter week after week. Mingueza offers useful versatility, yet neither arrival convincingly fills the shoes Lacroix left behind.

A missed opportunity with young talent?

The decision to allow Romain Esse to leave for Club Brugge has also drawn scrutiny. Esse's limited game time under Glasner was widely attributed to a strained personal dynamic between player and manager rather than a lack of ability. With a fresh managerial regime now in place, releasing Esse without offering him a chance to rebuild his case looks, at best, premature.

If Crystal Palace do not strengthen further before the transfer window closes, this summer risks being remembered as one where a European champion stood still — and in the Premier League, standing still almost always means falling behind. Several clubs who finished below Palace last season have moved with more intent in the market, which only sharpens the concern.